KGC Insamgongsa Recognized as Internationally Accredited Testing Laboratory for 4 Consecutive Times by Korea Accreditation Board

Published 12 Apr.2022 09:33(KST)

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] KGC Ginseng Corporation announced on the 12th that it has been recognized for the fourth consecutive time by KOLAS (Korea Laboratory Accreditation Scheme) as a globally accredited testing institution in the fields of ginseng and red ginseng.

Since being recognized as an internationally accredited testing institution in 2010, KGC Ginseng Corporation became the first in the world in 2016 to obtain accreditation for the analysis of 'ginsenoside components in ginseng.' In 2020, it also acquired new KOLAS accreditation for additional analysis standards of ginsenosides and pesticides, as well as for the analysis of inorganic components in food.

Accredited testing institutions must maintain their certification by passing biennial surveillance and quadrennial reassessment. KGC Ginseng Corporation has obtained its third reassessment accreditation since its initial recognition in 2010.

KOLAS accredited test reports have equal validity to those of other countries' accredited reports under the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation Mutual Recognition Arrangement (ILAC-MRA), which includes 105 accreditation bodies from 104 countries. Therefore, when exporting domestic red ginseng overseas, there is no need to undergo separate testing or product certification for the accredited items, shortening the time required to obtain overseas certification and strengthening export competitiveness.

Since November last year, after document and on-site audits and final review by the accreditation committee, KGC Ginseng Corporation was officially recognized for its testing capabilities for 403 components in the fields of food, soil, and microorganisms based on its appropriate quality system and technical competence. This includes its own standard method for ginsenoside analysis (KGCLI-20:2016) among 11 standards across 7 fields.

Park Man-soo, Director of the Korea Ginseng Research Institute at KGC Ginseng Corporation, said, “The international accreditation reassessment confirms that the strict quality control of CheongKwanJang is recognized both domestically and globally. Based on this, we will further systematize our processes and faithfully fulfill our role as a global leader in the red ginseng market.”