Fair Trade Commission Announces 2023 Recall Performance Results
Recalls, where businesses exchange or refund products due to defects causing harm or potential harm to consumers, decreased last year across all sectors including industrial products, automobiles, food, and pharmaceuticals.
The Korea Fair Trade Commission announced this on the 18th after analyzing last year's recall performance from various ministries, local governments, and the Korea Consumer Agency.
The number of recalls last year under 19 related laws such as the Chemical Products Safety Act and the Framework Act on Consumers was 2,813, a decrease of 773 cases (21.6%) compared to 3,586 cases in 2022.
By type, voluntary recalls decreased by 168 cases (19.6%) from 857 cases to 689 cases, recall recommendations dropped by 119 cases (19.2%) from 620 to 501 cases, and recall orders fell by 486 cases (23.0%) from 2,109 to 1,623 cases, showing a decline in recall numbers across all types.
By law, recalls under seven laws including the Chemical Products Safety Act, Framework Act on Consumers, Automobile Management Act, Product Safety Basic Act, Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, Medical Device Act, and Food Sanitation Act accounted for 2,663 cases, representing 94.7% of the total recalls (2,813 cases).
Examining the causes of the decrease by law, recalls under the Chemical Products Safety Act dropped by 489 cases (34.5%) from 1,417 in 2022 to 928 in 2023, and recalls under the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act decreased by 182 cases (41.2%) from 442 to 260, significantly impacting the overall decline in recall numbers.
The decrease in recalls under the Chemical Products Safety Act and the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act (671 cases) accounts for 86.8% of the total recall decrease (773 cases).
The Korea Fair Trade Commission explained that the decrease in recalls under the Chemical Products Safety Act is due to strengthened market surveillance on hazardous and illegal products, resulting in fewer legal violations, while the decrease under the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act is attributed to enhanced manufacturing process management in the pharmaceutical industry, reducing unintended impurities in medicines.
By product category, recalls for industrial products decreased by 749 cases (32.5%) to 1,554 cases, pharmaceuticals (including herbal medicines and quasi-drugs) dropped by 182 cases (41.2%) to 260 cases, and medical devices declined by 34 cases (12.6%) to 235 cases.
On the other hand, among major product categories, automobile recalls increased by 18 cases (5.8%) to 326 cases, attributed to an increase in recalls related to emission control parts defects under the Air Quality Preservation Act.
The Fair Trade Commission stated, "We have established and are operating a chatbot service to make it easy for consumers to find desired recall and safety information," adding, "We will continue to strengthen information linkage and data analysis functions to ensure timely provision of overseas recall information and consumer damage cases."
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