🇰🇷 Exploring Individual Transactions for Supplement: A Cautionary Pilot Program (Korea)

Good news! Now you can buy and sell dietary supplement health products like Korean red ginseng and vitamins directly from individuals.

Starting from the 8th, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is trying out a new program called the "Health Functional Food Individual Transaction Pilot Project" for a year. This project aims to make it easier for people to trade small amounts of health products between themselves.

They're doing this because back in January, a group suggested making it easier for people to buy and sell health products. But they also want to make sure everything stays safe and regulated.

To make this work, they're using two popular platforms, Karrot Market (link) and Bunjang (link), which have systems to make sure things are safe and in good condition.

Here are some rules: the products have to be unopened and have clear labels. They should also have at least 6 months before they expire, and they should be okay to store at room temperature. Anything that needs to be kept cold isn't allowed.

You can't sell products you've brought into the country for personal use from overseas through online shopping or agencies. Only products with proper labels according to local rules can be sold.

Each person can only sell up to 10 times a year and make less than 300,000 won in total. This is to prevent people from selling too much for profit.

The companies running the platforms have to make sure everyone follows the rules and report any problems to the Ministry. And the Ministry will keep an eye on things too.

This trial will last for a year to see if it's helpful. They chose a year because health product consumption changes a lot throughout the year.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety says they're committed to making sure health products are safe while also making things easier for consumers and businesses.