From July 20 to 22, 2026, South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) held cooperation meetings with the Indonesian Halal Product Assurance Agency (BPJPH) and the Indonesian Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM).
The two sides reached multiple agreements on streamlining halal certification procedures and easing export burdens for South Korean cosmetics companies entering Indonesia. CIRS Group has sorted out the main contents below for the reference of relevant companies.
Background
Under Indonesia’s current regulatory framework, mandatory halal labeling will be implemented for cosmetics circulating and sold in Indonesia from October 18, 2026: cosmetics must in principle obtain halal certification, while cosmetics made from non-halal ingredients, although exempt from halal certification, must bear a “non-halal” statement.
To respond to this mandate and resolve the practical difficulties faced by cosmetics companies operating in the Indonesian market, MFDS, together with the Korea Cosmetic Association (KCIA) and relevant cosmetics companies, formed a public-private joint support delegation.
From July 20 to 22, the delegation held bilateral meetings with the Indonesian BPOM, BPJPH as well as roundtable discussions with Indonesian regulatory authorities and local companies.
Key Outcomes of the Consultations
1. Personnel of South Korean Halal Certification Bodies May Serve as “Halal Supervisors”
In view of the practical difficulty faced by halal certification bodies in non-Muslim countries such as South Korea in employing Muslim “Halal Supervisors”, MFDS and BPJPH reached a mutual understanding on this point: BPJPH will improve the relevant system so that “persons who have completed training recognized by the Agency and possess the required qualifications” may also serve as Halal Supervisors.
2. Manufacturing Sites Already Halal-Certified Exempted from Duplicate On-Site Inspections
For cosmetics manufacturing sites that have already obtained halal certification, the on-site inspection of the manufacturing site will be exempted even where the certification applicants (e.g., responsible distributors) differ.
For example, where responsible distributors A and B each entrust contract manufacturing to the same manufacturing site C, if site C has already obtained halal certification, the on-site inspection of C will be exempted. The two sides also agreed that, prior to the formal revision of the relevant regulations, the same standard will be applied in advance through an official document.
3. BPOM Committed to Extending the Grace Period for Products Already on the Market
For cosmetics that were legally cleared through customs and entered market circulation before the implementation date of the mandatory halal labeling requirement (October 18, 2026), BPOM committed to revising the relevant regulations in the direction of extending the grace period, and will pursue consultations with BPJPH to this end.
4. Clarified Carry-In Standards and Procedures for Samples
The Indonesian side also explained the “per-person carry-in standard (20 items)” and the specific procedures for non-sale samples for market research and research purposes, so as to prevent inconvenience for South Korean companies during customs clearance.
5. Establishment of a Permanent Regulatory Cooperation Mechanism
The two sides agreed to operate a hotline and a working-level working group for continued regulatory cooperation, and plan to progressively expand the scope of cooperation to matters such as the procedures for the listing of pharmaceutical reference countries.
Industry Response
President of the Korea Cosmetic Association stated: “The Association also participated in this public-private joint support delegation. The government taking the lead in voicing companies’ customs and regulatory difficulties and formulating concrete solutions has been of real, practical help to companies intending to enter the Indonesian market.”
MFDS stated that it will continue to strengthen cooperation with overseas regulatory authorities and actively support K-beauty’s expansion into global markets.
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