Five Companies Participate in Pilot Project for Bottled Water Quality Certification

The South Korean government is considering the introduction of a quality and safety certification system for bottled water as domestic consumption continues to rise. The initiative aims to evaluate the entire process from production to distribution through a pilot program.
On June 22, the Climate Energy Environment Ministry announced that five companies—Daejeong, Baekhak Beverage, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Development Corporation, Fine Bio, and Nongshim—have been selected to participate in the pilot project for the bottled water quality and safety certification system.
The government's decision to explore a certification system comes as bottled water consumption in South Korea has steadily increased, with the drinking rate reaching 34.8%. This trend underscores the need for systematic quality management that encompasses not only water quality control but also the entire manufacturing and distribution process.
The Korea Water Technology Certification Institute, which is overseeing the pilot project, recruited participating companies last month and selected them after a review process. Initially, four companies were to be chosen, but all five applicants met the basic requirements for quality and safety management, leading to their inclusion.
The pilot project will officially commence with an information session on June 23 at the If Plaza Building in Jung-gu, Seoul. Following this, on-site inspections, product testing, and comprehensive evaluations will be conducted to assess the appropriateness of certification standards and their practical application.
Notably, the government plans to emphasize on-site inspections over document reviews during this pilot project. Experts in geology will be consulted to evaluate the quantity and quality stability of the source water, as well as to assess the overall production facilities and quality management systems. To reduce the administrative burden on companies, the government also intends to minimize the required documentation.
Participating companies will receive technical diagnostics and quality management consulting from accredited institutions. This support is expected to help them assess their quality management levels and strengthen their safety management systems.
Based on the results of the pilot project, the Climate Ministry will review whether to implement the certification system and how to operate it. The ministry plans to analyze the quality management levels confirmed during the on-site inspections and any issues that arise during the program's operation to inform future system design.
Kim Ho-eun, Director of Water Use Policy at the Climate Ministry, stated, "We will carefully prepare for the introduction of a bottled water certification system based on safety management tailored to domestic conditions by comprehensively reviewing the points for improvement and enhancements identified during the pilot project process and holding discussions with companies and experts."

* This article has been translated by AI.