[Korea’s] National Assembly [just] passed the “GMO Full Disclosure Act (Food Sanitation Act Amendment).” This reflects progress in transparency, safeguarding consumer rights and food choice. Yet, a decision is urgent: as GMO labeling is mandated, the need to distinguish gene-edited crops (GEO) from traditional GMOs has paradoxically grown.
Under current law, even safe gene-edited crops without foreign genes must bear “GMO” labels. This conflates advanced breeding with genetic modification, fueling unnecessary fear. Yet, Korea clings to 20-year-old regulations, becoming a regulatory island. While the world adopts rational tracks distinguishing gene editing from modification, Korea remains trapped in the “presumption of guilt” that “new technology is dangerous.”
The toll falls on domestic industries and researchers. World-first innovations by Korean teams face commercialization barriers at home, forcing technology sales to foreign firms and driving talent abroad.
This is not about addressing corporate grievances but a national task: combating climate change, safeguarding food sovereignty, and leading the bio-industry.
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