Korea: controversial discussion on new GMO rules

As Korean media reported the government's new rules on genetically modified organism (GMO) labeling on products are into effect since beginning of  February. The rules are revised by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.

The new regulation requires all food companies using processed GMO crops to mention that on the product labels. But it will allow an exception for  cooking oil, soy sauce and corn syrup. Consumers and activists have demanded the government change this clause, because they are critical on GMO in the food and “want information about crops that were originally used, not the information after processing”, explains iCOOP, a consumer rights activist group. At the same time big food companies pressured the government to keep the rules.

Another controversial point is the "non-GMO" label requirement. The new regulation allows to label naturally grown crops as “non-GMO” but only for corn, soybeans, sugar beets, rapeseed, alfalfa and cotton which are grown in a GMO version in Korea. Others like rice are not allowed to be labeled Non-GMO although Korea is the world's top importer of GMO crops.