South Korea reopens market for German pork

On October 23, 2025, following intense discussions between the German Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMLEH) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs of Korea (MAFRA), the Republic of Korea lifted the import ban on pork from Germany due to Foot-and-Mouth Disease. After the detection of Foot-and-Mouth Disease in Germany in January 2025, the Republic of Korea, like many other countries, prohibited the import of pork and pork products from Germany. The trade of fresh pork, which had been recently resumed after the regionalization of the African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak, was halted. South Korea is one of the most important third-party markets outside Europe for the export of pork and pork products. In 2024, before the Foot-and-Mouth Disease-related ban, approximately 51 thousand tons were exported. On January 10, 2025, the first case of Foot-and-Mouth Disease in over 35 years in Germany was detected in water buffaloes in the district of ...