Trade Ministry says 94 overseas products fail safety standards

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said Thursday that domestic distribution of 94 overseas direct-purchase products that failed South Korean safety requirements had been blocked after checking water-play equipment and textiles for babies and children. The safety review focused on products with high demand during the summer.

Of the 228 children's products checked, 51 did not meet standards; 23 of 111 household products and 20 of 145 electrical products also failed. Eighteen of 20 inflatable products for children failed requirements including tube thickness and auxiliary air chambers, and all 18 tested as household goods were noncompliant. Thirteen of 33 children's outerwear items and 10 of 22 LED lighting fixtures also failed.

The Korean Agency for Technology and Standards published information on the 94 hazardous products through the Product Safety Information Portal and Consumer24. Under an amendment to the Product Safety Framework Act that took effect June 3, it recommended that overseas direct-purchase platform operators remove hazardous-product information and asked the Korea Customs Service to block customs clearance.

Kim Dae-ja, head of the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards, said, "Because overseas direct-purchase products do not receive KC certification, please check product information carefully before you buy." The agency plans to increase overseas direct-purchase product safety inspections to 1,200 in 2026 from 1,004 in 2025. "We will continue conducting safety inspections of overseas direct-purchase products in the second half of this year to prevent hazardous products from entering the domestic market," Kim said.