Government and Industry Join Forces to Eradicate Counterfeit Cosmetics - MOIP
05-Jul-2026
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Source : The South Korea’s Ministry of Intellectual Property (MOIP)
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Visits : 63
- MOIP, MFDS, KCS, and KCA sign four-party MOU to strengthen public-private response to counterfeit cosmetics -
- Organizations to cooperate on distribution information sharing, response policy coordination, online monitoring, and joint education -
DAEJEON - The South Korea’s Ministry of Intellectual Property (MOIP), led by Minister Kim Yong Sun, announced that, in order to strengthen the response to counterfeit cosmetics, it signed a government-industry memorandum of understanding (MOU) at the Korea Intellectual Property Center in Seoul to strengthen the response to counterfeit cosmetics. The MOU was signed with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), led by Minister Oh Yu Kyoung, the Korea Customs Service (KCS), led by Commissioner Lee Jong Wook, and of the Korea Cosmetic Association (KCA), led by Chairman Suh Kyung Bae, according to the official website of MOIP.
This MOU aims to establish a joint response system among relevant government agencies and the cosmetics industry to address the growing issue of counterfeit cosmetics, which has emerged alongside the global growth of K-Beauty. It was implemented as a follow-up measure after in-depth discussions on “Rigorous Responses to Counterfeit Cosmetics Damaging Trust in K-Beauty” at the National Policy Coordination Meeting in November last year.
In 2025, Korea’s cosmetics exports reached USD 11.4 billion, marking an all-time high and ranking second in the world. According to the OECD in 2024, the global scale of counterfeit goods infringing the intellectual property (IP) rights of Korean companies amounted to USD 9.7 billion, or approximately KRW 11 trillion. Based on the value of goods seized by customs authorities, cosmetics accounted for 10 percent, ranking third after electronics and textiles and apparel.
The ceremony included presentations on each organization’s action plans to eliminate the distribution of counterfeit cosmetics, the formal signing of the MOU by the heads of participating organizations, and a symbolic performance calling for the eradication of counterfeit cosmetics. The ceremony was also livestreamed through the official YouTube channels of the participating organizations.
Pursuant to the MOU, the four organizations—MOIP, MFDS, KCS, and KCA—will convene a public-private consultative body on a semiannual basis. Through this framework, the organizations plan to share information on the distribution of counterfeit cosmetics, consult and coordinate on response policies, cooperate on online monitoring, and conduct joint education and training.
Minister Oh Yu Kyoung of MFDS emphasized, “Counterfeit cosmetics pose a serious threat to public health and to trust in K-Beauty. MFDS will respond thoroughly to counterfeit cosmetics so that K-Beauty can further strengthen its position in the global market. At the same time, we will provide practical support to cosmetics businesses, including support for establishing quality management systems, verifying product safety, and strengthening their capacity to respond to international standards.”
Commissioner Lee Jong Wook of KCS stated, “Through this cooperation, KCS will receive risk information from the organizations participating in the MOU and proactively block counterfeit goods from entering Korea at the border clearance stage. In particular, we will expand cooperation with customs authorities and investigative agencies in major K-brand export markets to crack down on counterfeit K-brand goods manufactured, distributed, and exported overseas, while actively supporting K-brand companies’ entry into global markets.”
Minister Kim Yong Sun of MOIP stated, “Protecting K-brands goes beyond simply securing rights. It is directly linked to the overseas expansion and competitiveness of K-Beauty companies. With this MOU as a starting point, MOIP will work with MFDS and KCS to provide tailored support for export companies’ brand protection and strengthen government-wide enforcement capabilities against the distribution of counterfeit cosmetics. We will make every effort to help remove export barriers for Korean companies in the global market.”
MOIP, MFDS, and KCS plan to continue working closely together to ensure consumer safety through proactive responses to counterfeit cosmetics, while helping protect the product competitiveness and IP rights of domestic cosmetics companies.