[2025 Audit] Illegal and Hazardous Items from Overseas Direct Purchases Double... Pre-Purchase Inspections 'Ineffective'

The influx of illegal and hazardous items, taking advantage of the normalization of overseas direct purchases, is also rising sharply. However, there are criticisms that pre-purchase inspections, intended to prevent this, are virtually ineffective.

According to data submitted by Congressman Cheon Haram of the National Assembly Strategy and Finance Committee on October 20, 2025, the number of illegal and hazardous items detected among last year’s 1.8 billion overseas direct purchase transactions was 439,000. Considering that 225,000 cases were detected in 2020, the number of detected illegal and hazardous items has nearly doubled over four years. Of the items detected, those originating from China accounted for 387,000 cases, representing 88% of the total.

Status Report on Illegal and Hazardous Items Detected in Overseas Direct Purchases. Provided by Congressman Cheon Haram's Office (Source: Korea Customs Service)

To block the inflow of illegal and hazardous items into the country through overseas direct purchases, the Korea Customs Service operates a pre-purchase inspection system. Under this system, the Korea Customs Service directly purchases daily-use items from overseas direct purchase platforms and analyzes their ingredients. The purpose of the system is to screen out potentially hazardous items in advance.

However, contrary to this intention, critics point out that the actual number of pre-purchase inspections is far too low to have a meaningful impact. Until 2023, the Korea Customs Service limited pre-purchase inspections to products distributed domestically, and only expanded the scope to include overseas direct purchase products starting the following year. The number of annual pre-purchase inspections increased from 128 in 2023 to 1,461 last year. Given that the total number of customs clearances last year was 1.8 billion, the pre-purchase inspection rate was only 0.0008%.

Compared to the 439,000 cases of hazardous items detected during the same period, the pre-purchase inspection rate stood at just 0.33%. Furthermore, Congressman Cheon expressed concern that as of August this year, the number of pre-purchase inspections was only 385 (335 for overseas direct purchases and 50 for domestic distribution), suggesting that the annual number of inspections may actually decrease this year.

Congressman Cheon stated, "With the scale of hazardous items from China entering the country growing, the performance of the Korea Customs Service’s pre-purchase inspections is virtually meaningless. To protect public safety from hazardous items originating in China, it is necessary to significantly expand the pre-purchase inspection program and improve the system."

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