Results from the monitoring of domestic distribution of products recalled overseas in the first half of 2018

- Consumers should beware of ‘children(and infants)’s products’ frequently causing swallowing incidents and ‘cosmetics’ that were found to contain harmful substances -

    Products recalled overseas due to safety issues are being sold in the domestic market, requiring special attention from consumers when purchasing products.

□ KCA, blocked domestic distribution and sales of 95 products recalled overseas in the first half of 2018.

    In the first half of 2018, the Korea Consumer Agency (President Hee-sook Lee) monitored whether defective or faulty products that were recalled in Europe, the US, Canada, etc. were distributed in the domestic market, and based on the monitoring result, it demanded that the relevant businesses take corrective measures including sales suspension, free-of-charge repairs, exchanges, etc. for 95 products*.

* A 102.1% increase compared to the same period last year (47 products)

    Among those 95 products, eight(8) products including ATV, riding lawn lower, household blender, baby pacifier clip, etc. sold by authorized domestic importers and/or distributors were exchanged, refunded or repaired for free through voluntary corrective actions conducted by the relevant business operators. And for the other 87 products that were not sold by authorized domestic importers and/or distributors or whose distribution channels could not be identified, measures including deletion of online sale posts, sales suspension, etc. were taken through a regular consultative body of mail order brokers*, etc., stopping the distribution of the recalled products in the domestic market.

* In order to secure the safety of products distributed online, the KCA and five(5) business operators (Naver(shopping), SK Planet(11STREET), ebay Korea(Auction, Gmarket), Interpark(shopping), Coupang) participated as members of the consultative body.

□ Beware of ‘children(and infants)’s products’ frequently causing swallowing incidents and ‘cosmetics’ which were found to contain harmful substances.

    Overseas recall information is collected through monitoring of agencies charged with overseeing recalls (17) in various countries, and information on 41.1% of the products subject to the domestic corrective actions taken in the first half of 2018 was collected from the RAPEX System* of ‘the EU.’

* A system for rapid exchange and notification of information concerning products posing a serious risk to consumers’ health and safety between 31 EU member states

    Among the products with relatively large recall numbers, 57.7% of the ‘products for children and infants’ were recalled due to concerns over swallowing toy components or broken parts and suffocating, and in the case of ‘cosmetics,’ 75.0% of the recalls were conducted due to the detection of harmful substances such as carcinogen, etc., requiring special attention when purchasing the products concerned.

*Injury: physical damage inflicted on the body by a damaged product (laceration, abrasion, etc.)

□ In addition to products recalled overseas, similar products distributed in the domestic market also became subject to recall actions.

    In the first half of 2018, the KCA responded proactively to protect people’s lives and safety by blocking the distribution of the recalled products in the domestic market, and taking corrective actions after monitoring domestic sales and safety of products similar to the recalled products. Going forward, it also plans to step up monitoring of products recalled overseas and similar products.

    Since the product recalled overseas could be distributed in the domestic market through a variety of channels, the KCA advised consumers to check overseas recall information on the Consumer Injury Surveillance System(www.ciss.go.kr)* or Open Consumer Portal Delivering Happiness(www.consumer.go.kr)**, before making purchases via overseas direct online shopping or purchasing agents.

 * Consumer Injury Surveillance System(www.ciss.go,kr) Homepage, ’Safety Issue – Injury Information-related Breaking News’

 ** Delivering Happiness(www.consumer.go.kr) Homepage, ’Product Safety Information – Injury Information-related Breaking News’

    On top of that, the KCA also said that it planned to strengthen monitoring to stop the distribution of the defective or faulty products that were recalled overseas in the domestic market through a consultative body involving various distribution channels such as mail order brokers, TV home shopping, large marts, etc.