73% of Top-Selling Manufactured Masks Fail to Meet 'Health Mask' Performance Standards

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[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] An audit report from the Board of Audit and Inspection revealed that 73% of the top-selling products among industrial masks advertised as having the efficacy of health masks fall short of the performance standard of 'health masks (KF80 standard 80%)'.

On the 12th, the Board of Audit and Inspection announced the results of the audit on the 'Management Status of Household Chemical Products.' The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) continuously monitors online and offline activities advertising the efficacy and effects of industrial masks as quasi-drugs (such as health masks) under the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act and other laws.

The MFDS was found to have failed to take appropriate measures regarding 668 advertisements for industrial masks (non-woven masks, nano masks) that claim the efficacy of health masks, which were reported by the National Institute of Technology and Standards (NITS) after investigating the status of masks distributed in the market.

The Board of Audit and Inspection explained, "Since industrial masks are items managed by NITS under the Electrical Appliances Safety Control Act, it is principle to regulate them under the Fair Labeling and Advertising Act, and therefore, no appropriate measures such as investigating violations of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act were taken."

Among the 668 cases, the audit selected 15 top-selling products (corresponding to 107 advertisements) out of 126 mask products that were being advertised for sale and requested testing. The Board reported, "The dust collection efficiency of 11 products, accounting for 73.3%, ranged from 9% to 77%, falling short of the performance standard of health masks (KF80 standard 80%) that have fine dust blocking functions."

Furthermore, the Board explained, "Among four non-woven filter masks randomly selected and tested that were advertised online as having antibacterial and antiviral functions capable of killing 99.9% of bacteria and viruses, three products, accounting for 75% of the test subjects, showed dust collection efficiency of only 6% to 26%, making it difficult to expect droplet blocking effects."

Meanwhile, issues were also found in the distribution management of masks violating labeling standards. The Board pointed out that NITS did not take appropriate measures such as issuing improvement orders for 273 masks suspected of falsely displaying the KC mark. The Board stated, "It was confirmed that 60 cases suspected of falsely displaying the KC mark are still circulating according to MFDS investigations, raising concerns about consumer harm."

The Board notified the director of NITS to thoroughly carry out related tasks to ensure that no cases are left unattended without proper administrative actions such as investigating whether products suspected of falsely displaying the KC mark have undergone testing.

The Board also notified the MFDS commissioner to thoroughly carry out related tasks to ensure that no businesses selling industrial masks that may be mistaken for health masks are left without any measures.