"South Korea KF94 Masks, Counterfeits Are Superior..." Controversy Over Japanese Media Report

Officials from the Korea Consumer Agency are explaining the results of safety, quality, hygiene, and dimension tests conducted on nine KF94 mask products sold on the market.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] Japanese media has sparked controversy by reporting content that could be misunderstood as counterfeit KF94 masks from Korea having better performance than genuine products.

On the 7th, the Asahi Shimbun published an article titled "KF94 Masks from Korea Are Popular, But..." comparing the performance of genuine KF94 masks purchased at Korean food and cosmetics specialty stores with masks presumed to be counterfeits bought at 100-yen shops.

The newspaper, in collaboration with Seruka International University, investigated the penetration rate (the rate at which airborne particles enter inside the mask). The closer to 0%, the more perfectly the mask blocks airborne particles.

As a result, the penetration rate of the KF94 mask was 23%, while the counterfeit mask showed 12%. The penetration rate of the US mask standard N95, widely used in Japanese medical settings, was 3%.

The newspaper analyzed that counterfeit masks performed better than genuine masks based on the test results of only two types of masks. It reported, "The products investigated this time had low penetration rates despite being uncertified masks."

It also quoted explanations from sellers of masks without certification marks, stating, "The masks were tested for filter performance by a Korean certification agency. In Korea, masks sold as daily necessities rather than medical use do not require certification, and if they have the same performance, they are called KF94."

However, according to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, masks sold as daily necessities cannot be labeled "KF94," as was the case with the masks used in this test.

The newspaper reported that to receive KF94 certification, masks must be manufactured in Korea, but masks made in China and Vietnam can also be KF94 if they meet the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety's conditions such as filter performance.

Meanwhile, a significant number of counterfeit KF94 masks are circulating on actual Japanese online shopping malls. As cases of damage to Korean companies due to counterfeits continue, the Korean Embassy in Japan and KOTRA have been holding meetings with related agencies since early this year to formally raise the issue with major online shopping malls.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.