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Korea and China to Digithesize Import and Export Seafood Certificates

  • Date

    2026.08.25.

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    26

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Korea and China to Digithesize Import and Export Seafood Certificates
- MOF, MFDS, and China’s GACC Sign MOU on Electronic Seafood Certification Cooperation
- Expediting Customs Clearance and Preventing Forgery… Expected to Save Approx. 3 Billion KRW Annually

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (Minister Hwang Jong-woo; MOF) announced that it signed a "Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation for Korea-China Electronic Seafood Certificates" with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) and the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) in Dalian, China, on Thursday, August 20.

This MOU was established to transition the paper-based inspection and quarantine certificates attached to seafood traded between the two nations into electronic certificates (e-certificates). The shift aims to save time and costs when trading with China?Korea's top seafood trading partner?while enhancing the reliability and transparency of inspection and quarantine procedures.

Under the MOU, both countries will cooperate in the following areas:

- Issuance and exchange of electronic seafood certificates
- Enhancement of system interoperability and implementation of pilot projects
- Promotion of technical exchanges related to electronic certification
-Expansion of covered target items

Previously, paper inspection and quarantine certificates issued by the exporting government had to be sent via international mail and submitted to the importing country. Once the electronic certification system is established, certificate data will be exchanged directly between the systems of both governments.

The introduction of e-certificates is expected to prevent the forgery and alteration of paper documents and streamline customs procedures by reducing the time required to issue, send, and verify certificates. Additionally, eliminating the need for paper issuance and international postal delivery will significantly ease the financial burden on import and export businesses.

In 2025, the total number of seafood* inspection and quarantine certificates issued between the two countries reached approximately 37,000 cases (7,197 for exports and 30,193 for imports). The introduction of e-certificates is expected to save approximately 3 billion KRW annually, which was previously spent on paper certificate issuance and international postal delivery in Korea-China seafood trade.

* China is Korea’s No. 1 Seafood Trading Partner (as of 2025): In 2025, seafood exports to China reached 160,000 tons ($620 million USD), while imports reached 960,000 tons ($1.5 billion USD). Major export items include seaweed (gim), tuna, Spanish mackerel, squid, and cod; major import items include monkfish, Manila clams, squid, webfoot octopus, and Alaska pollock.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries plans to revise relevant regulations for issuing e-certificates and consult with MFDS and GACC on specific implementation plans, including system integration methods, information security standards, and pilot project schedules. Furthermore, MOF intends to expand e-certificate cooperation with other major seafood trading partners to continuously strengthen safety management and customs convenience for imported and exported seafood.

Choi Hyun-ho, Deputy Minister for Fisheries Policy Office at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, said, "The signing of this MOU is an important first step toward transitioning Korea-China seafood trade into a paperless digital format." He added, "Once electronic certificates are fully implemented, we expect them to help boost the export competitiveness of our companies."
 
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