The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is dispatching a "Joint Support Team for Entry into Indonesia" in response to Indonesia's mandatory halal certification, which will take effect in October. The team aims to improve certification and market entry procedures in collaboration with Indonesian regulatory authorities, easing the export burden on domestic cosmetics companies.
On July 20, the ministry announced that it has formed a support team of 27 members, led by the Director of the Bio-Pharmaceutical Bureau, including representatives from the Korea Pharmaceutical Export Association, the Korea Testing & Research Institute for Chemical Industry (KTC), and cosmetics exporting companies. The team will engage directly with local regulatory authorities.
Indonesia, the world's fourth most populous country and the largest market in ASEAN, is a key export market for K-beauty. However, the mandatory halal certification starting in October is expected to increase certification costs and complicate customs and distribution processes, raising export burdens for South Korean companies. Many small and medium-sized enterprises have previously abandoned certification due to a lack of information, which requires obtaining confirmation letters from raw material suppliers for dozens of ingredients in cosmetics.
The support team plans to discuss improvements to market entry procedures for domestic cosmetics during high-level meetings with the Indonesian Food and Drug Authority (BPOM), including enhancing the import procedures for sample products and establishing regulatory cooperation channels between the two countries.
In meetings with the Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH), the team will discuss improvements to halal certification procedures, such as applying grace periods for customs products before the system's implementation and exempting duplicate inspections for already certified manufacturing facilities.
Additionally, the team will hold a business meeting with representatives from the Indonesian Food and Drug Authority and the Halal Product Assurance Agency to explain the changes in the halal system and cosmetics regulations, allowing South Korean companies to address their questions directly. They will also visit cosmetics manufacturing facilities and sales locations in Indonesia to listen to concerns and incorporate feedback into future regulatory improvements.
Ryu Hyung-seon, president of the Korea Pharmaceutical Export Association, stated, "The government's active support in facilitating discussions on overseas regulatory issues that individual companies find challenging is a significant help for exporters. We will work closely together to expand K-beauty's global market presence."
Bio-Pharmaceutical Bureau Director Ahn Young-jin emphasized, "Proactively responding to regulatory changes in each country is crucial for the continuous expansion of K-beauty exports. We will strengthen cooperation with overseas regulatory authorities to actively resolve export challenges and provide substantial support for entering global markets."
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety recently introduced South Korea's cosmetics safety management system at the 20th annual meeting of the International Cooperation on Cosmetic Regulation (ICCR) held in Tokyo, Japan, and proposed international cooperation to expand global regulatory harmonization. The ministry plans to continue providing regulatory information by country and enhancing cooperation among regulatory authorities to eliminate overseas regulatory barriers and support the global competitiveness and export growth of K-beauty.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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