Republic of Korea’s MFDS designated as first WHO Collaborating Centre for Food Safety Emergencies

Food safety incidents can escalate quickly in an interconnected world. A contaminated ingredient or product can move across borders in days, affecting households and markets far from where the problem began. Behind every alert or recall are the impacts on real people – families managing illness, parents worried about their children, small businesses navigating uncertainty. 

The Risk Information Division of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) of the Republic of Korea has been designated as the first World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Food Safety Emergencies. The milestone – formalized in November 2025 – recognizes more than a decade of technical collaboration between WHO and MFDS, particularly through the International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN).

Strengthening emergency preparedness to protect people 

Food safety emergencies – including foodborne disease outbreaks – require rapid, effective and multisectoral coordination across health, agriculture, trade, laboratory and other relevant sectors. When response systems are strong, risks are identified earlier, information moves faster and public health is better protected. 

As the first WHO collaborating centre of its kind, MFDS will work all the more intensively with WHO to: 

• provide training and education to INFOSAN member countries;
• support the development of food safety emergency response plans; and
• contribute technical expertise to regional and global coordination efforts. 

The ultimate aim is to strengthen countries’ ability to detect, assess and respond to food safety risks so that harm is minimized, confidence is maintained, and essential food systems remain stable even during crises.

Officials from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety of the Republic of Korea and WHO marked the designation of the Risk Information Division as the first WHO Collaborating Centre for Food Safety Emergencies in Seoul and Osong, Republic of Korea, on 26–27 November 2025.   © Ministry of Food and Drug Safety

A milestone built on sustained collaboration 

“This designation represents more than a title: it is a milestone of trust built over many years of collaboration, and is a recognition of the achievements of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in leading cooperation in food safety emergency response by assisting the International Food Safety Authorities Network, INFOSAN, for the past 10 years,” said YU-KYOUNG OH, Minister of the MFDS.

The significance of the partnership was also highlighted by Dr Carmen Savelli, WHO Responsible Officer for the new collaborating centre and member of the INFOSAN Secretariat:

“This designation recognizes many years of dedicated collaboration between WHO and MFDS. Over the years, MFDS has demonstrated what an effective partnership looks like – hosting regional INFOSAN meetings, sharing lessons learnt and supporting countries to strengthen systems for early detection and response,” said Dr Savelli. “These contributions have made a real difference in strengthening national and regional capacities to manage food safety emergencies.”

Echoing this, Dr Katherine Helena Oliveira de Matos, Food Safety Technical Officer at WHO’s Regional Office for the Western Pacific, emphasized the importance of collective action: “In today’s interconnected world, no country can face food safety emergencies alone. Collaboration is our greatest strength. This designation both recognizes MFDS’s leadership and reinforces our shared commitment to work together so countries can respond faster and more effectively when food safety risks arise.”