Plant Quarantine
What Is Plant Quarantine?Imported plants (including seeds, fruit, and some processed products) and their containers and packaging must be declared to the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (APQA) at the first port or airport of arrival and inspected by a plant quarantine officer. To keep harmful pests out of Korea, officers check for pests, and if regulated pests are found, they order measures such as disinfection, destruction, or return. Quarantine is carried out under the Plant Protection Act in line with international standards such as the WTO SPS Agreement. (Plant Protection Act, Arts. 12 and 16)
Pest Categories
Regulated pests
Pests recognized as causing serious harm to plants unless measures such as disinfection or destruction are taken. They are divided into quarantine pests and regulated non-quarantine pests. (Plant Protection Act, Art. 2, subpara. 4)
- Quarantine pests
- Pests that could cause major economic damage and that are absent from Korea or present only in limited areas under surveillance and other control measures. They are divided into prohibited pests and controlled pests.
- Prohibited pests
- Pests considered so harmful to plants once in Korea that, unless the goods are destroyed or returned, plants carrying them may not be imported. They include the pests listed in Annex 1 of the Enforcement Rule of the Plant Protection Act and pests that the APQA designates by notice after a pest risk analysis finds a comparable risk.
- Controlled pests
- Pests designated by APQA notice as causing serious harm to plants once in Korea unless measures such as disinfection are taken.
- Regulated non-quarantine pests
- Pests that are not quarantine pests but cause economically unacceptable damage to plants for planting and are therefore regulated in Korea. The APQA designates them by notice for each seed type, such as rice, wheat, and soybeans.
(Plant Protection Act, Art. 2, subparas. 5 and 6; Enforcement Rule of the Plant Protection Act, Arts. 4 and 5)
Provisionally regulated pests
Pests found for the first time during import quarantine or currently under pest risk analysis. They are provisionally treated like regulated pests, with measures such as disinfection or destruction. (Plant Protection Act, Art. 2, subpara. 7)
Non-quarantine pests
All pests other than regulated and provisionally regulated pests. Because they are already widespread in Korea, no quarantine measures such as disinfection are taken even if they are found on imported agricultural products.
Plant Import Quarantine Process
Tell us the plants or plant products you plan to import and the exporting country, and we will tell you whether they are prohibited and walk you through the quarantine process.
Email a Quote Request or InquiryLaws and requirements as of October 27, 2026