The Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), led by Commissioner Oh Yu-kyung, announced the successful conclusion of the first Global Cosmetics Regulatory Agencies Meeting (GCORAS) held in Seoul from September 7 to September 9.
Thirteen countries, including Brazil and various Asian nations such as Vietnam and India, participated in this newly established body, making it a significant milestone in global regulatory harmonization and supporting the sustainable growth of K-Beauty.
The first day featured a ceremonial opening, followed by various collaborative discussions. Activities included a regulatory forum where participants from the EU and Australia shared global technical trends, bilateral meetings among regulatory agencies from Korea and the UAE, Brazil, and Vietnam, and regulatory consultations involving representatives from Brazil and Malaysia with Korean companies.
During the meetings, the MFDS focused on effective communication with key regulatory authorities from ASEAN, the Middle East, and Latin America to address export challenges faced by Korean companies. Notable agreements included the formation of a joint public-private support group with Brazil and discussions on streamlining cosmetic product registration documents with Vietnam, as well as the operation of a regulatory working group with the UAE to strengthen industrial exchanges.
On the second day, a plenary session was held, culminating in the consensus agreement on the '2026 Seoul Initiative,' emphasizing the importance of strategic cooperation and mutual commitments among participating nations. Korea was unanimously elected as the chair country, with the establishment of a permanent secretariat to be based in Korea.
The last day of the meeting expanded the scope of cooperation to medical products, initiating bilateral discussions to further strengthen collaboration in advanced bio sectors, particularly with the UAE, along with proposals to lower major regulatory barriers for the industry in Vietnam.
Commissioner Oh Yu-kyung remarked that GCORAS represents a timely opportunity to overcome the limitations of individual company responses in the rapidly changing global distribution environment and reinforced regulatory barriers, while leading communication and cooperation among regulatory agencies in third countries. She reaffirmed Korea's commitment to driving global cosmetics regulatory harmonization, thereby lowering barriers for K-Beauty's overseas expansion and striving for the sector's ascendance to the global forefront.
The MFDS plans to further enhance the global competitiveness of Korean companies through ongoing regulatory cooperation, including the operation of working groups with member countries, leveraging the launch of GCORAS.
