On January 2, 2025, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) of the Republic of Korea released an announcement on the operational plan for the first half of 2025 for imported aquatic products under priority management. The announcement details the priority items of imported aquatic products, including 15 items from 8 countries, involving 14 testing items such as chloraminophen, heavy metals, and bacteria.

The frequency of testing ranges from 5% to 100%, depending on the items and testing items. Random sampling was conducted according to the test items specified for each country and category at a specified percentage. The six foodborne pathogenic bacteria are applicable to fresh food (including packaged fresh food), while total bacterial count and E.coli are applicable to packaged fresh food only. import declaration confirmation certificates are issued after confirming the test results (issuance of conditional import declaration confirmation certificates is prohibited). The program applies to import declarations made between January 1 and June 30, 2025.