'Harmful to Human Health' Overseas Recalled Products Still Distributed Domestically... Cosmetics Surge Threefold

As online purchases of overseas products continue to increase each year, concerns have been raised that products recalled abroad due to safety issues are still being distributed domestically, highlighting the need for consumer caution.

The Korea Consumer Agency announced on April 16 that it had completed corrective measures-such as blocking distribution-for a total of 1,396 cases (including 570 cases of redistributed products) after monitoring the domestic distribution status of products recalled in the United States, Europe, and other countries last year. The number of corrective actions taken for overseas recalled products has shown an upward trend over the past three years, rising from 983 cases in 2023 to 1,336 cases in 2024.

Among these, the number of cases where domestic distribution was identified for the first time and corrective measures (such as blocking distribution or improving labeling) were taken reached 826, marking a 43.2% increase compared to the previous year's 577 cases.

Korea Consumer Agency

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By product category, "home appliances, electronics, and telecommunications devices" accounted for the largest share at 28.3% (234 cases), followed by "food and beverages" at 19.7% (163 cases), and "cosmetics" at 12.1% (100 cases). Notably, cosmetics saw a surge of more than three times (244.8%) compared to the previous year. This increase is attributed to the rising demand for overseas cosmetics as well as a greater influx of products containing certain harmful substances into the domestic market.

Looking at the reasons for recall, in the "home appliances, electronics, and telecommunications devices" category, electrical hazards such as risk of electric shock accounted for the largest proportion at 30.8% (72 cases), followed by inclusion of harmful or chemical substances at 27.4% (64 cases), and fire risks such as overheating, smoke, or ignition at 22.2% (52 cases). For "food and beverages," the majority-68.7% (112 cases)-were due to the presence of harmful or allergy-causing substances. In "cosmetics," the inclusion of harmful or chemical substances accounted for the largest share at 62.0% (62 cases), followed by microbial contamination at 24.0% (24 cases), and ingredient mislabeling at 5.0% (5 cases).

Among the 536 cases with identified countries of manufacture, products from China accounted for the largest share at 62.0% (332 cases), followed by those from Japan at 6.5% (35 cases) and the United States at 5.6% (30 cases). By item, the proportion of Chinese-made "home appliances, electronics, and telecommunications devices" was overwhelming at 96.5%, while Japanese-made products accounted for a relatively high proportion of "food and beverages" (33.3%) and U.S.-made products held a higher share in "cosmetics" (16.2%).

An official from the Korea Consumer Agency said, "Overseas recalled products are often distributed through open markets or proxy purchase websites rather than official import channels," adding, "Even if products are blocked from existing sales channels, they can be redistributed through other businesses or distribution channels, so continuous monitoring is required."

The agency has signed a "voluntary product safety agreement" with domestic and international online platform operators and operates a real-time monitoring system. As a result, the number of blocked redistributions last year was 570 cases, representing a 16 percentage-point decrease compared to the previous year.

This year, the agency plans to expand the number of participating organizations in the "Interagency Council for the Management of Hazardous Overseas Goods," a pan-government consultative body, and to strengthen cooperation with online platforms in order to shorten monitoring cycles and reinforce its response.

The Korea Consumer Agency advised, "When purchasing products through direct overseas purchases or proxy buying, consumers must check for recalls through the Consumer Injury Surveillance System website and similar resources," adding, "It is also important to carefully check whether the product has safety certification in the country of origin and to thoroughly inspect the product for any damage or contamination."

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