Republic of Korea hosts APFRAS 2026 to strengthen regional cooperation on food safety

Seoul, Republic of Korea

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) of the Republic of Korea hosted the fourth Asia-Pacific Food Regulatory Authority Summit (APFRAS 2026) in Seoul, Republic of Korea, on 11–12 May 2026 under the theme “A Strategic Leap Toward the Asia-Pacific Food Regulatory Harmonization and Partnership.”

The Summit brought together representatives of food regulatory authorities from 14 countries across the Asia-Pacific region, alongside three international organizations, to discuss emerging food safety challenges and opportunities for enhanced regional collaboration. New participants this year included Canada and Mongolia.

Established in 2023 as a ministerial-level consultative platform for food regulatory cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region, APFRAS aims to strengthen international cooperation and promote science-based approaches to food safety management. The Republic of Korea currently serves as Chair of APFRAS.

During the Summit, participants discussed ways to strengthen regulatory harmonization and cooperation in response to rapidly evolving global food systems and increasing complexity in international trade. Discussions focused on alignment with Codex Alimentarius Commission standards, science-based regulatory approaches, and efforts to address non-tariff barriers through enhanced bilateral and regional cooperation.

The keynote speech was delivered by Hilde Kruse, Senior Food Standards Officer in the Codex Secretariat, on the theme “From Strategic Collaboration to Impact – a Codex Perspective.” In her presentation, she highlighted the importance of ensuring that international collaboration and Codex standards translate into tangible impact at the national level, emphasizing that effective implementation of science-based standards is essential to protecting consumer health and facilitating fair trade. She also underlined the importance of continued collaboration, country engagement and capacity development to maximize the benefits of Codex work for all Members.

The programme also included exchanges on digital transformation in food safety management, safety management of recycled plastic food containers and packaging, and food and beverage safety measures for large-scale international events. Participants further shared experiences and information on national food safety systems and discussed opportunities to strengthen communication and technical cooperation among regulatory authorities across the region.

Minister Yu-Kyoung Oh of the MFDS emphasized the importance of regional cooperation and noted that APFRAS had “moved beyond its founding stage” and was entering “a historic turning point toward broadening influence.” She further stated that the Republic of Korea would continue supporting efforts to strengthen food safety systems and regulatory innovation across the Asia-Pacific region.

As part of the Summit, participants also attended information sessions and bilateral meetings aimed at improving understanding of food regulatory requirements and facilitating trade cooperation among participating economies.

The Summit reaffirmed the importance of regional dialogue and cooperation in strengthening food safety systems, protecting consumer health and promoting fair practices in food trade across the Asia-Pacific region.

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