Exporting Fresh Vegetables from China to South Korea: Rules and Documents

How do you check whether a vegetable can enter Korea?

Whether a plant product may enter Korea from a given country is shown in the import availability search of Korea’s Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (APQA). This page does not state a conclusion for any product or origin; it is for reference only, and whether a product can be imported is for the buyer to decide.

How to check import availability with APQA

Importers should confirm item status in APQA’s import availability search before each order. The search can be run by scientific name (Daucus carota for carrots, Apium graveolens for celery) and country. Results also show emergency import restrictions, which can be added at short notice and may apply only to certain regions or plant parts, so check the current result and its legal basis for the exact product and origin.

Which plant quarantine rules apply?

Korea’s Plant Protection Act sets the quarantine rules for imported plants, including fresh vegetables. The points below follow the official English translation; the Korean text prevails.

Phytosanitary certificate

Imported plants must carry a phytosanitary certificate issued by the exporting country’s government in the IPPC form (Plant Protection Act, Article 8). For shipments from China, the certificate is issued by the Chinese plant protection authority.

No soil

Import of soil and of plants with soil attached is prohibited (Article 10). Root vegetables must therefore arrive free of soil.

Inspection at the port of first arrival

Imported plants are declared and inspected at the port of first arrival (Article 12). Consignments without a phytosanitary certificate are discarded or returned (Article 16). Passing inspection depends on the consignment and is decided by the Korean authority.

What pesticide residue rules apply?

Since 2019, Korea’s Positive List System applies to all agricultural products. Pesticides without a maximum residue limit set for the crop are controlled at a default of 0.01 mg/kg. Check each active substance and crop in Korea’s official residue database before you agree a spray programme or a test plan; this page does not copy limit values.

Which documents usually travel with a shipment?

The phytosanitary certificate is the core plant health document. Other commercial documents are provided as required by the importer and Korea Customs and are agreed per order on our export compliance page.

Does labelling have to be in Korean?

Food labels in Korea are in Korean in principle. Chinese characters or foreign languages may be used alongside, and imported foods may show the foreign text larger than the Korean (Enforcement Rule of the Act on Labeling and Advertising of Foods, Annex 3). Rules for fresh produce sold in its natural state are not covered here; confirm them with your importer.

What can AzureRoute Produce provide?

AzureRoute Produce exports fresh vegetables from Shandong, China; see our product range. Whether a product can be imported into Korea is for the buyer to decide, based on the current APQA result for that product and origin. We prepare shipping documents to the requirements of the buyer’s market; the exact document list is confirmed with each buyer after the enquiry. See our export compliance page for how documents are agreed per order, and our sourcing partners for where we source.

Key takeaways

• Check the current APQA import availability result for the exact product and origin before each order; this page gives no conclusion.
• A phytosanitary certificate from the exporting government is required, and soil is not allowed.
• Shipments are declared and inspected at the port of first arrival.
• Residues follow the Positive List System, with a 0.01 mg/kg default where no limit is set.
• Labels are in Korean in principle; confirm fresh-produce rules with your importer.