[Changes in the Second Half of 2022] Expansion of HACCP Certification for Imported Baechu Kimchi... Establishment of Vaccine Safety Support Center

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol is visiting SK Bioscience in Bundang-gu, Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, on the morning of April 25, examining the vaccine developed in the laboratory.

From the second half of this year, the mandatory HACCP certification for imported napa cabbage kimchi will be expanded, and a 'Vaccine Safety Technology Support Center' will be established to support domestic vaccine development.

The government published "Changes Starting from the Second Half of 2022," summarizing the new systems and regulations effective from the second half of this year, on the 30th.

First, starting in October, the HACCP standards for imported napa cabbage kimchi will be strengthened. Overseas manufacturers exporting napa cabbage kimchi to Korea have been gradually subject to HACCP based on the import volume from two years prior, from last year through 2024.

Last year, the HACCP system for imported foods was introduced for the first time, and HACCP certification evaluations were completed for five overseas manufacturers of imported napa cabbage kimchi with import volumes exceeding 10,000 tons. This year, mandatory HACCP certification will be applied to 16 overseas manufacturers with import volumes exceeding 5,000 tons, and imports will be suspended if HACCP certification is not obtained.

The government will also establish and operate the Vaccine Safety Technology Support Center in the second half of the year. The Vaccine Center is a foundation approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in June 2020. Once the building is completed in October, it will provide product technology support and consulting, clinical company analysis, and quality inspection support projects. Additionally, an education and training facility will be established at the Vaccine Center, and upon completion, education to support overseas vaccine certification will be provided.

The medical device insurance enrollment system, which allows compensation through insurance that companies subscribe to in advance in case of damage caused by medical devices, will be implemented from the 21st of next month.

Starting in August, clinical trial safety support institutions will be designated to carry out various clinical trial safety support tasks. This will support the rapid clinical entry of new drugs under development, such as COVID-19 treatments and vaccines, while also providing customized counseling to protect the rights of clinical trial victims.

From the 28th of next month, the government will also begin full-scale support for hygiene and nutrition management in social welfare facilities used by vulnerable groups such as the elderly and disabled. Furthermore, from the fourth quarter, specialized health checkups for female fishery workers will be supported. The government will cover 90% of the examination costs, and female fishery workers aged 50 to 69 will only need to pay about 20,000 KRW to receive detailed examinations for musculoskeletal disorders and other conditions.