SFDA CEO and South Korea’s Minister of Food and Drug Safety Discuss Strengthening Cooperation on Food Safety and Drug Evaluation

The CEO of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), H.E. Dr. Hisham S. Aljadhey, met with Dr. Oh Yu-kyoung, Minister of Food and Drug Safety of South Korea, on the sidelines of the International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities (ICMRA) Summit held in Seoul. 

Dr. Aljadhey and Dr. Oh reviewed existing cooperation under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the SFDA and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in 2023. The MoU aims to enhance collaboration in the fields of food, pharmaceuticals, and medical products to contribute to higher standards of quality and safety. The two officials explored opportunities to further strengthen their partnership, particularly regarding the joint scientific evaluation of drugs, as well as the exchange of expertise and best practices in food monitoring and traceability.

The discussions also covered opportunities for cooperation in managing foodborne illness risks. Both sides reviewed their respective approaches for preventing and reducing the incidence of such illnesses, and discussed mechanisms for sharing expertise to enhance oversight effectiveness. Additionally, they addressed cooperation in the Halal sector. The meeting was also attended by South Korean technical experts specializing in foodborne diseases alongside representatives from the SFDA and the Saudi Halal Center.

On the sidelines of the Summit, Dr. Aljadhey held several bilateral meetings with the heads of regulatory authorities from Egypt, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Singapore and Japan to discuss matters of mutual interest, strengthen cooperation, and facilitate knowledge exchange in regulatory areas.