Iksan-si Steps Up Regulatory Innovation for Functional Foods

[Financial News Iksan—Kang In, Reporter] Iksan-si in Jeonbuk is supporting companies' entry into new markets by using demonstrations to resolve regulations that have hindered everything from the use of functional food ingredients to product manufacturing.
Iksan-si said on the 23rd that it would fully launch the demonstration project under the Jeonbuk Functional Food Regulation-Free Special Zone to strengthen the foundation for the functional food industry, improve regulations, and support companies in developing and commercializing products.
The Jeonbuk Functional Food Regulation-Free Special Zone covers areas including Iksan-si, Jeonju-si, Namwon City, and Sunchang County. The zone was officially designated in May last year, and KRW 7 billion of the KRW 15.8 billion total project budget will be invested in Iksan-si during the three-year demonstration project running from this year through 2028.
The project focuses on two demonstrations: applying functional ingredients not listed in official notices to general foods, and operating a shared factory for health functional foods. Fifteen institutions and companies are participating as project operators in the special zone, while the Korea Food Industry Cluster Promotion Agency is serving as the lead agency and supporting commercialization.
The administrative procedures for the demonstrations have also been completed. Jeonbuk State, Iksan-si, the Korea Food Industry Cluster Promotion Agency, and participating companies held consultations with relevant ministries and conducted a suitability review following the zone's designation before signing an agreement in March. They completed approval of the plan to launch the demonstration exemptions in July. Since August, they have undertaken full-scale demonstrations, including verifying the safety, standards, and specifications of functional ingredients; developing and producing prototypes of foods with functional claims; and establishing and operating the infrastructure for a shared health functional food factory.
Based on the demonstration results, Iksan-si plans to pursue improvements to the systems governing functional foods and support companies in developing and commercializing their products.
An Iksan-si official said, "We will work closely with relevant agencies and participating companies to ensure that the demonstration results lead to regulatory improvements and corporate commercialization, while strengthening the competitiveness of the functional food industry at the National Food Cluster (Foodpolis)."


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