VZCZCXYZ0004
PP RUEHWEB
DE RUEHUL #0107 0180318
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 180318Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8106
UNCLAS SEOUL 000107
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
INL FOR JOHN LYLE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR ETRD ECON KS
SUBJECT: COMBAT METH EPIDEMIC ACT: ROKG PARTICIPATES IN
INCB PRE-NOTIFICATION SYSTEM
REF: SECSTATE 686
1. (U) Per reftel request, Poloff confirmed that the Republic
of Korea Government (ROKG) reported their 2006 legitimate
domestic requirements for the licit use of ephedrine and
psuedoephedrine to the International Narcotics Control Board
(INCB) through the ROK Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The 2006 annual estimates for licit requirements are 15,950
Kg of ephedrine and 32,500 Kg of psuedoephedrine. Hong
Soon-wook, Director of the Narcotics Control Team of the
Korean Food and Drug Administration (KFDA), advised poloff
that as a "Group 1 Raw Substance," the KFDA must approve all
exports of psuedoephedrine. As part of the export approval
process, Hong verified that the KFDA transmits a pre-export
notification to the INCB and to the importer.
STANTON