Science and ICT Ministry Refutes Portable Fan EMF Controversy: "Harmless to Human Body"

Ministry of Science and ICT Announces Electromagnetic Wave Verification Results on the 1st

[Asia Economy Reporter Minyoung Cha] The Ministry of Science and ICT announced on the 1st that the electromagnetic waves emitted from portable neck and handheld fans (9 neck fans and 11 handheld fans) currently distributed in the market were all found to be at a 'safe level' for the human body.

This directly contradicts the measurement results announced last month by an environmental civic group. The Environmental Health Citizens' Center revealed the electromagnetic wave measurement results from portable fans on the 26th of last month and warned of potential risks. They claimed that the 4mG level detected from portable fans could be linked to the possibility of childhood leukemia.

During this verification, the Ministry of Science and ICT used 20 products currently distributed in the market, including 10 products measured by the civic group (4 neck fans and 6 handheld fans). The measurements were conducted according to the National Radio Research Agency's measurement standards (National Radio Research Agency Notice No. 2021-22), which align with international standards.

The Ministry of Science and ICT stated that the electromagnetic waves emitted from portable neck and handheld fans were measured at 2.2% to 37% of the internationally recommended human protection standards. It was confirmed to be safe for the human body.

Professor Nam Kim from the Department of Information and Communication Engineering at Chungbuk National University said, "The 4mG used as a standard by the civic group is one of the research results indicating the possibility of childhood leukemia," adding, "It is reasonable to follow the standards of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), which most countries adopt based on the World Health Organization's recommendations."

The ICNIRP standards vary by frequency: 30 Hz (1666mG), 60 Hz (833mG), 200 Hz (250mG), and 800 Hz (62.5mG). The 60 Hz standard was set at 833mG in 1998 and was relaxed in 2010, but Korea still follows the higher 1998 standard.

There are also criticisms regarding the evaluation method. The Ministry of Science and ICT pointed out that the measuring instruments used by the civic group could not distinguish the various frequencies emitted by the fan motor, and the size of the electromagnetic wave measurement antenna was significantly below international standard conditions, making accurate measurement difficult.

The Ministry of Science and ICT stated, "To minimize public concerns about the use of portable fans, we conducted this verification as quickly as possible," and added, "In the future, we plan to regularly verify and disclose various small home appliances, seasonal products, and home appliances raised as issues by civic groups that are newly emerging using new technologies, to alleviate public anxiety and concerns about electromagnetic waves."

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