[Reporter’s Notebook] The Tears of Modamoda Shampoo... New Technology 'Held Back' by Outdated Administration

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] The science and technology community has recently been abuzz with talk about "shampoo." It was also a hot topic at the New Year's press briefing held on the morning of the 27th by Lim Hye-sook, Minister of Science and ICT. The star of the discussion was the Modamoda shampoo for hair dyeing developed by Professor Lee Hae-shin of the Department of Chemistry at KAIST. Inspired by the phenomenon where a peeled apple turns brown, the shampoo contains polyphenols, its main ingredient, which dyes hair brown simply by washing it.

Unlike conventional hair dyes that take a long time and have strong toxicity, this "new technology" enables non-toxic dyeing in a short time. Professor Lee invented it for the first time in the world after more than seven years of research. It was launched in August last year and quickly gained great popularity, selling 1.5 million units in no time.

The problem began when the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) started regulating the shampoo ingredient "1,2,4-trihydroxybenzene (THB)" as a toxic substance. After expert review, the MFDS ultimately added it to the prohibited list on the 26th. This action was based on a report from the European Union (EU) Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS), which indicated that it causes skin sensitivity and has potential toxicity.

Professor Lee and the manufacturer are opposing this. They argue that the SCCS toxicity assessment was based on experiments using large amounts of conventional hair dyes applied for more than 30 minutes. Since Modamoda shampoo is used in small quantities and only briefly contacts the hair during washing, it is not harmful, according to Professor Lee's side. It is not even included in the banned lists in countries like Japan and the United States. Professor Lee's team is conducting additional experiments and has requested that the ban be temporarily lifted until the results are available.

While the MFDS's rationale of ensuring consumer safety and protection is understandable, it must be recognized that in the era of the "Fourth Industrial Revolution," where new technologies emerge daily and change the world, such an approach can become outdated. Suppressing new technologies based solely on one research report is a regressive act that goes against the times. More detailed technical reviews, including domestic experiments, and proactive administration should have been conducted.

At the press briefing, Minister Lim Hye-sook of the Ministry of Science and ICT also expressed regret, stating, "We need to balance technology and regulation." The ministry announced plans to establish a system where regulatory authorities participate in advance consultations during new technology development consulting. There are many cases where new technologies initially rejected due to regulations and perceptions later changed the world. It is time to stop the administration that "cannot see the forest for the trees."

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