A large number of overseas direct-purchase products, including health supplements harmful to the human body and children's products, have been uncovered by customs authorities.
The Korea Customs Service announced on September 10 that it had analyzed the ingredients of 145 types of health supplements and children's products sold through overseas direct-purchase platforms from January to August, and found that 51 types (35.2% of the total) contained harmful substances.
The detected products included muscle-enhancing supplements containing pharmaceutical ingredients not permitted for use in food, as well as numerous children's products with harmful substances exceeding domestic safety standards by up to 5,680 times.
For health supplements, the inspection was conducted by purchasing and analyzing 35 types of muscle-enhancing supplements. As a result, 17 types (48.6%) were found to contain large amounts of selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) and tadalafil. These substances are prohibited from being imported into Korea due to concerns about their potential harm to public health.
Selective androgen receptor modulators are substances that regulate the action of male hormones and other bodily functions to increase muscle mass or reduce body fat, but their consumption may cause side effects such as heart attacks and strokes.
Tadalafil is an ingredient used in erectile dysfunction medications and is known to potentially cause side effects such as myocardial infarction and angina.
When 110 types of children's textile products and school supplies sold on overseas direct-purchase platforms were analyzed, 34 types (30.9%) were found to contain harmful substances such as phthalate plasticizers, cadmium, and lead, all exceeding domestic safety standards.
By product category, children's shoes contained phthalate plasticizers up to 405 times the safety limit, children's accessories contained cadmium up to 5,680 times the safety limit, and children's pencil cases contained lead up to 15 times the safety limit.
Phthalate plasticizers are well-known environmental hormones that can cause endocrine disruption when in prolonged contact with the body. Their use is strictly restricted in children's products, as they can particularly hinder reproductive function and physical development.
Cadmium is classified as a highly toxic Group 1 carcinogen (designated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer), and lead is known to cause diseases affecting the renal, central nervous, digestive, and reproductive systems when poisoning occurs.
The Korea Customs Service plans to request online platforms to block the sales pages of health supplements, children's products, and other items found to contain harmful substances. The agency also intends to strengthen customs controls to prevent such hazardous items from entering the country through overseas direct purchases.
Further detailed information about overseas direct-purchase products found to contain harmful substances can be found on the Korea Customs Service website.
An official from the Korea Customs Service stated, "As overseas direct purchases become more common, concerns are growing that items lacking safety assurance may enter the country," adding, "Reflecting these public concerns, the Korea Customs Service has been conducting ingredient safety analyses of direct-purchase items since last year and is working to block the entry of hazardous items into Korea."
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