"Not the End of COVID-19"... Masks and Self-Test Kits Flooding the Used Goods Market

Mandatory Outdoor Mask Removal
Selling Quarantine Supplies Cheaply
Diagnostic Kits Classified as Medical Devices
Illegal for Personal Transactions

Since the outdoor mask-wearing mandate was fully lifted on the 2nd, protective items such as masks have started flooding the secondhand market. Photo by Used Goods Trading App Screenshot

Mr. Lee (28), who lives in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, listed 30 masks for sale on a secondhand trading application (app) on the 4th. He said, "I live alone and have over 100 masks," adding, "I think I bought too many, so I started selling them, but they are not selling well, so I am thinking of 'kkeulol' (reposting items that haven't sold)."

Since the full lifting of the outdoor mask-wearing mandate on the 2nd, quarantine supplies including masks and self-diagnosis kits have been appearing on secondhand trading sites. On the 6th, more than 15 mask-related listings were posted within an hour on a popular secondhand trading app. While some citizens sold items for money, others gave away disposable children's masks for free to neighborhood residents.

Office worker Mr. Jang (33) also plans to sell masks. He said, "I bought six boxes of masks," and added, "I have bought a lot so far, but I feel like I spent unnecessary money, so I think I should sell them cheaply in advance on secondhand trading sites."

As online sales of self-diagnostic kits were permitted, not only masks but also posts selling self-diagnostic kits began to appear on secondhand sites. Since self-diagnostic kits are classified as "medical devices," the secondhand trade of medical devices between individuals is, in principle, illegal. Photo by a secondhand trading site screenshot

Various quarantine supplies such as self-diagnosis kits and hand sanitizers are also appearing in secondhand markets. Some posts offer a discount of 500 won per item when buying in bulk instead of selling each for 3,500 won. Mr. Jeon (54), whose family of four all contracted COVID-19 last month, has about 40 kits stocked even after recovery by purchasing daily within the quantity limit. He said, "Even after recovery, I bought them because I was worried about reinfection and testing positive on the kits," adding, "I think I no longer need them, so I am considering selling them in the secondhand market."

The government has left the supply management of quarantine supplies to the market in line with the mask mandate lifting. Since the 1st, distribution improvement measures for self-diagnosis kits have been lifted, allowing online trading without quantity limits. However, self-diagnosis kits are classified as ‘medical devices’ under current law, so private secondhand trading of medical devices is basically illegal.

Professor Baek Soon-young, emeritus professor at the Catholic University School of Medicine, said, "The effectiveness of masks has not diminished," but added, "It is time to allow individuals to autonomously adjust quarantine measures according to their personal environment."