99.3% of soybeans imported from US test positive for genetic modification

Genetically modified organism components were detected in 99.3 percent of U.S. soybean import cases tested over the past decade, and the findings have renewed calls for Korea to diversify soybean import sources. Korea imported 1.6 million tons of U.S. soybeans from 2017 through September 2026, accounting for 91.5 percent of total imports. Song Ok-joo said the results show the need to move away from a lowest-price system and consider stricter sourcing and quality measures.

Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp. data showed that 399 of 402 U.S. soybean import cases tested positive for GMO components.

Canadian soybeans were imported in 45 shipments totaling 29,469 tons, and GMO components were detected in 57.8 percent of those cases.

No GMO components were detected in soybeans imported from China or Russia.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety data showed GMO components in 13.8 percent of 492 soybean-based food products tested in 2025.

Korea allows an unintended GMO presence of up to 3 percent, while the GMO components detected in imported U.S. soybeans over the past decade were all below 1 percent.

Published Oct 2, 2026 12:27 pm KST

Genetically modified organism (GMO) components were detected in 99.3 percent of U.S. soybean import cases tested over the past decade, trade data showed Friday, raising calls for Korea to diversify its soybean import sources.

According to Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp. data submitted to Rep. Song Ok-joo of the Democratic Party of Korea, Korea imported 1.6 million tons of U.S. soybeans between 2017 and September 2026, accounting for 91.5 percent of its total soybean imports during the period. GMO components were detected in 399 of 402 U.S. soybean import cases, or 99.3 percent.

Canadian soybeans were imported in 45 shipments totaling 29,469 tons, with GMO components detected in 57.8 percent of the cases.

In contrast, no GMO components were detected in soybeans imported from China or Russia. Chinese soybeans totaled 112,124 tons in 18 shipments, accounting for 6.4 percent of total imports, while Russian soybeans totaled 7,870 tons across five shipments.

The data came amid recent controversies over GMO detection in soybean-based foods such as tofu, soy milk and fermented soybean paste in Korea. According to separate data Song obtained from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, GMO components were detected in 13.8 percent of 492 soybean-based food products tested in 2025.

Song said the findings suggest that Korea’s heavy reliance on U.S. soybeans may have contributed to the detection of GMO components in soybean-based foods.

The Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp. imports soybeans for foods through state trading, selecting the lowest bids from suppliers that meet its requirements. This structure tends to favor cheaper U.S. soybeans, whose average import price in 2024 was 40 percent cheaper than comparable Chinese soybeans.

The corporation requires the soybeans it purchases to be non-GMO. However, Korea allows an unintended GMO presence of up to 3 percent, meaning products do not have to be labeled as GMO if the presence remains below that threshold and is deemed unintentional.

However, GMO components detected in imported U.S. soybeans over the past decade were all below 1 percent, meaning the shipments still met Korea’s non-GMO standard despite testing positive for GMO components.

Against this backdrop, calls are growing for Korea to tighten its threshold for unintended GMO presence to 0.9 percent or lower, in line with the European Union’s standard.

“The GMO inspection results show that diversifying the current U.S.-concentrated import sources could significantly reduce the detection of GMO components in foods,” Song said.

“We need to move away from a system focused solely on the lowest price by introducing measures such as evaluating suppliers by country based on their GMO detection records, allocating imported soybeans to buyers based on quality and raising the supply prices of imported soybeans to more realistic levels.”

过去十年间，韩国对进口美国大豆进行检测，结果显示99.3%的大豆样品中含有转基因成分。这一发现再次引发了韩国寻求大豆进口来源多元化的呼声。2017年至2026年9月，韩国共进口美国大豆160万吨，占其进口总量的91.5%。宋玉珠表示，检测结果表明，韩国需要摒弃以最低价格为导向的进口模式，转而采取更严格的采购和质量控制措施。

韩国农水产食品贸易公社的数据显示，在402起美国大豆进口案例中，有399起被检测出含有转基因成分。

加拿大进口大豆共分 45 批，总量达 29,469 吨，其中 57.8% 的大豆被检测出含有转基因成分。

从中国或俄罗斯进口的大豆中未检测到转基因成分。

食品药品安全部的数据显示，2025 年检测的 492 种大豆制品中，有 13.8% 含有转基因成分。

韩国允许大豆中含有高达 3% 的非预期转基因成分，而过去十年中从美国进口的大豆中检测到的转基因成分均低于 1%。

发布于2026年10月2日下午12:27（韩国标准时间）

贸易数据显示，过去十年中，美国进口大豆样本中99.3%被检测出含有转基因生物（GMO）成分，这引发了韩国要求其大豆进口来源多元化的呼声。

根据韩国农水产食品公社提交给韩国民主党议员宋玉珠的数据，2017年至2026年9月期间，韩国进口了160万吨美国大豆，占同期韩国大豆进口总量的91.5%。在402例美国大豆进口案例中，有399例（占99.3%）被检测出含有转基因成分。

加拿大进口大豆共分 45 批，总量达 29,469 吨，其中 57.8% 的大豆被检测出含有转基因成分。

相比之下，从中国或俄罗斯进口的大豆中未检测到转基因成分。中国大豆共分18批进口，总量为112124吨，占进口总量的6.4%；俄罗斯大豆共分5批进口，总量为7870吨。

这份数据发布之际，正值韩国豆腐、豆浆、豆酱等大豆制品中转基因成分检测引发争议之时。根据宋某从韩国食品药品安全部获得的另一份数据，2025年检测的492种大豆制品中，有13.8%被检测出含有转基因成分。

宋表示，研究结果表明，韩国对美国大豆的严重依赖可能导致在大豆制品中检测到转基因成分。

韩国农水产食品贸易公社通过国家贸易渠道进口食品用大豆，并从符合其要求的供应商中选择报价最低的供应商。这种机制往往有利于价格更低的美国大豆，其2024年的平均进口价格比同类中国大豆便宜40%。

该公司要求其采购的大豆必须是非转基因的。然而，韩国允许大豆中含有不超过3%的非转基因成分，这意味着如果非转基因成分含量低于该阈值且被认定为非故意添加，则产品无需标注为转基因产品。

然而，过去十年中，从美国进口的大豆中检测到的转基因成分均低于 1%，这意味着尽管检测出转基因成分呈阳性，但这些货物仍然符合韩国的非转基因标准。

在此背景下，越来越多的人呼吁韩国将非预期转基因成分的阈值收紧至 0.9% 或更低，与欧盟的标准保持一致。

宋说：“转基因食品检测结果表明，改变目前以美国为主导的进口来源，可以显著降低食品中转基因成分的检出率。”

“我们需要摒弃只关注最低价格的体系，采取诸如根据供应商的转基因检测记录按国家/地区进行评估、根据质量将进口大豆分配给买家以及将进口大豆的供应价格提高到更合理的水平等措施。”