Animal Quarantine

What Is Animal and Livestock Product Quarantine?

Imported animals and livestock products require a quarantine application to the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (APQA) and inspection by a quarantine officer. To keep contagious animal diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease, mad cow disease (BSE), and avian influenza out of Korea, officers check for disease. If problems are found, the goods are returned or incinerated or buried to protect Korea's livestock and ecosystems. (Act on the Prevention of Contagious Animal Diseases, Arts. 36 and 44)

Quarantine of Imported Animals and Livestock Products

Step-by-Step Process

Quarantine of Imported Animals

1. Advance notice of animal imports
   • Before importing, notify the APQA regional office with jurisdiction over the intended port or airport of entry of the species, number, timing, and place of import.
   (Act on the Prevention of Contagious Animal Diseases, Art. 35)
2. Arrival notice
   • The importer reports the arrival details and the unloading and transport plans to the regional office with jurisdiction over the destination, by phone or in writing.
3. On-board inspection
   • Dedicated livestock vessels are inspected on board at the outer harbor.
   • Dedicated aircraft are inspected on board at a location suitable for disease control.
   • What is checked:
     - Whether the animals passed through a banned area and whether any problems occurred in transit
     - The details on the exporting country's quarantine certificate
     - Compliance with the sanitary conditions set by Korea
4. Unloading and transport
   • Animals are unloaded in a way that is safe for disease control and transported to the quarantine facility following the quarantine officer's prior instructions (by the stevedoring and transport companies).
5. Holding at the quarantine facility
   • Animals stay at the quarantine facility for the quarantine period.
6. Quarantine application
   • Documents to submit
     - Quarantine application
     - Quarantine certificate from the exporting country (covering the items required by the relevant regulations or the sanitary conditions agreed with the exporting country)
     - Supporting documents (B/L, invoice, etc.)
   (Act on the Prevention of Contagious Animal Diseases, Art. 36)
7. Epidemiological review
   • Review of the quarantine application and attached documents
   • Check of the on-board inspection results
   • Any other matters needed for the epidemiological review
8. Clinical examination and laboratory testing
   • Each animal is clinically examined every day.
   • Laboratory testing consists of microbiological, pathological, and serological tests.
9. Decision
   • Pass: quarantine certificate issued
   • Fail: return, incineration, or burial
   (Act on the Prevention of Contagious Animal Diseases, Arts. 40 and 44)

Quarantine of Imported Livestock Products

1. Cargo manifest check
   • The shipping line or airline, or its agent, submits the cargo manifest electronically or on paper.
2. On-board inspection
3. Unloading and transport (transport notice)
   • Goods are transported to the quarantine facility in a way that is safe for disease control, following the quarantine officer's prior instructions.
4. Delivery to the quarantine facility
   • Check whether containers have been opened, sensory inspection, physical inspection of goods, etc.
5. Quarantine application
   • Documents to submit
     - Quarantine application, B/L, the exporting country's quarantine certificate, and other supporting documents (if an import declaration is required, also prepare and submit a livestock product import declaration)
6. Epidemiological review
   • Check whether the goods came from or passed through a banned area
7. Laboratory testing (when needed)
   • Microbiological and physicochemical tests, and residue tests
8. Decision
   • Pass: quarantine certificate issued
   • Fail: return, incineration, or burial
   (Act on the Prevention of Contagious Animal Diseases, Arts. 40 and 44)