Fans, swimwear among products failing safety standards in focused inspection
Customs authorities have seized a large number of imported products that pose safety risks ahead of the summer season.
Korea Customs Service announced Tuesday that a focused safety inspection conducted from June 1 to June 19 uncovered more than 130,000 imported items that failed to meet domestic safety standards.
The inspection was carried out in collaboration with the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards, the National Radio Research Agency and the Central Radio Management Office. It targeted water leisure goods and summer home appliances — categories expected to see a surge in demand — and checked compliance with the Act on Safety Management of Electrical Appliances and Consumer Products, the Special Act on Safety of Children's Products and the Radio Waves Act.
Among the items seized, built-in batteries for portable electric fans accounted for the largest share at about 22,000 units, followed by roughly 19,000 pieces of swimwear and about 10,000 water guns.
By type of violation, about 96,000 items had missing or incorrectly listed mandatory information such as the KC certification mark and certification number. An additional roughly 38,000 items were either uncertified or differed from their certified specifications. About 1,000 items — including portable air coolers — were placed on customs hold after safety tests showed they exceeded the legal electromagnetic compatibility limits.
Products placed on customs hold may be cleared once importers resolve the violations, such as by obtaining safety certification. Those that fail to do so will be destroyed or returned to the country of origin.
Consumers are advised to check for the KC certification mark before purchasing products. Certification information can be verified through the Product Safety Information Center and the National Radio Research Agency's website.
Park Si-won, head of the customs inspection division at Korea Customs Service, said the agency would "further strengthen cooperation with related ministries to block illegal and substandard products at the customs stage" and pledged to continue safety inspections in the second half of the year, focusing on goods directly linked to public health and social safety.
kwonhl@heraldcorp.com
