Consumer Agency Issues Warning on Neodymium Bead Magnet Swallowing Accidents in Infants and Toddlers

Risk of Harm Such as Intestinal Perforation if Swallowed

On the 14th, the Korea Consumer Agency warned guardians to be cautious as accidents involving children swallowing 'neodymium bead magnets,' sold as play magnets, occur frequently.

Neodymium magnets are alloy magnets composed of elements such as neodymium and iron, with much stronger magnetic force compared to other magnets. If a bead magnet is swallowed and enters the airway, it can cause acute choking leading to death, and if it remains in the stomach for a long time, it can cause stomach ulcers or intestinal perforation due to small intestine obstruction.

According to the Consumer Agency, from 2020 to June of this year, there were a total of 25 cases related to neodymium bead magnet hazards reported to the Consumer Injury Surveillance System (CISS). Among these, 23 cases, accounting for 92%, involved swallowing accidents, with 16 cases occurring in children under the age of six.

However, an investigation by the Consumer Agency into eight bead magnets sold online (seven neodymium and one ferrite) found that six were advertised as products safe for children without KC safety certification. Additionally, all eight products were small enough for children to swallow, and their magnetic strength exceeded toy safety standards.

Based on this investigation, the Consumer Agency recommended six businesses that sold products advertised as safe for children without safety certification to improve their labeling. Among these six companies, three agreed to improve their labeling by removing the indication that the products were safe for children, and the remaining three ceased product sales.

The Consumer Agency also requested continuous monitoring from the National Institute of Technology and Standards and urged consumers to always supervise children when using toys containing magnets and to store them out of children's reach.

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