Honey and Bee Pollen for Beekeeping Newly Designated as Livestock Quarantine Items... Mandatory Import Quarantine from November

Quarantine Agency Revises Relevant Notification
New Regulations Take Effect from November 27

Starting in November this year, honey and bee pollen intended for beekeeping will require a quarantine certificate from the exporting country to be submitted upon import, and mandatory import quarantine inspections will be enforced.

The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency announced that it has revised the relevant notification to newly include honey and bee pollen for beekeeping as quarantine items, with the revision officially issued on May 27. This notification will take effect six months after the issuance date, on November 27, 2026. After this date, imported honey and bee pollen for beekeeping purposes will be classified as livestock products and subject to quarantine inspections.

The Asia Business Daily Database.

An official from the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency explained, "This measure was taken in response to concerns raised by beekeeping-related organizations in 2024 regarding the potential introduction of honeybee diseases into Korea through the import of foreign 'honey feed' (beekeeping feed containing honey). The organizations requested improvements to the quarantine system, including the designation of quarantine items. In response, the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency held four rounds of meetings and conducted written surveys with quarantine experts and stakeholders, concluding that it was appropriate to designate honey and bee pollen for beekeeping as quarantine items. Based on this conclusion, detailed quarantine methods and procedures have been established."

To implement the new system, the agency amended the notification specifying the 'scope of feed, feed ingredients, equipment, bedding, and other similar items,' formally designating honey and bee pollen for beekeeping as quarantine items. The agency also revised the notification on the 'methods and standards for the quarantine of designated quarantine items' to specify the procedures for import quarantine inspections.

Choi Jeong-rok, head of the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, stated, "The new designation of honey and bee pollen for beekeeping as quarantine items aims to prevent the introduction of honeybee diseases into Korea and to foster the advancement of the domestic beekeeping industry. We plan to conduct thorough quarantine inspections and make meticulous preparations to ensure the successful implementation of this new quarantine system."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.