Gyeonggi Special Judicial Police Uncover 14 Cases Including Unregistered Cosmetic Manufacturers

Cases of Illegal Activities in Cosmetics Manufacturing and Sales Detected by the Gyeonggi-do Special Judicial Police Unit

Gyeonggi Province has uncovered a large number of companies that either failed to register as cosmetics manufacturers and sellers or misled consumers by labeling and advertising their products as pharmaceuticals or functional cosmetics.

The Gyeonggi Province Special Judicial Police conducted inspections from November 20 to December 7 on 90 companies within the province that manufacture and sell cosmetics such as makeup products, personal cleansing products, bath products, and hair care products, and announced on the 21st that 14 violations were found at 12 companies.

This investigation was carried out to ensure the safety of cosmetics, which are essential daily items, and to prevent consumer harm in advance.

Among the major cases detected, Company A located in Gimpo-si was found to have manufactured and sold cosmetic soap without registering as a cosmetics manufacturer and responsible seller with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, despite cosmetic soap being classified as a cosmetic product since 2019.

Company B in Goyang-si was caught manufacturing wet wipes, which fall under cosmetics, without registering as a cosmetics manufacturer with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.

Company C in Bucheon-si advertised body lotion, body wash, hair shampoo, and cream with phrases such as “solving atopic skin, acne-prone skin, and problematic skin caused by various environmental pollutants in one shot,” which was deemed misleading advertising implying pharmaceutical effects.

Company D in Gimpo-si was found to have advertised the ampoule pads they sold with the phrase “whitening effect,” which could be misunderstood as efficacy or effect of the finished product, thus constituting misleading advertising as functional cosmetics.

Company E in Bucheon-si was caught labeling their cosmetic containers with “Botox Skin,” despite “Botox” being an expression beyond the scope of cosmetics, and selling them.

Under the current Cosmetics Act, manufacturing or selling cosmetics without registration or notification to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is punishable by imprisonment of up to three years or a fine of up to 30 million KRW, and labeling or advertising that may cause consumers to mistakenly recognize the product as pharmaceuticals, functional, or natural cosmetics is punishable by imprisonment of up to one year or a fine of up to 10 million KRW.

Hong Eun-gi, head of the Gyeonggi Province Special Judicial Police, stated, “We will do our best to eradicate unregistered cosmetics manufacturers and sellers that threaten the health of residents, as well as false and exaggerated labeling and advertising practices that disrupt a sound consumer and distribution market order.”

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