Korea to ban overseas direct purchases of harmful products

[Photo by Yonhap]

The South Korean government will ban overseas direct purchases of 80 items, including children‘s products that have not been certified as safe, starting in June 2024. This measure comes in response to a recent influx of products containing harmful substances that were purchased through Chinese online shopping platforms such as AliExpress, Temu, and SHEIN.

The measure was unveiled during a ministerial meeting chaired by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Thursday as part of measures to enhance consumer safety and boost corporate competitiveness amid the surge in overseas direct purchases.

The country saw the volume of overseas direct purchases hit nearly 7 trillion won ($5.19 billion) in 2023.

“We will prioritize consumer safety,” Han stressed. “We will be more stringent on safety certifications for products used by children and household items that are fire hazards.”

[Photo by Yonhap]

Under the plan, the government will raise the threshold for overseas direct purchases of products linked to safety and health under the assumption that products that undergo formal import procedures are distributed in the country under the proper safety measures, including Korea Certification (KC), but overseas direct purchases do not follow these procedures.

Accordingly, 34 types of products used by children under 13, such as strollers and toys, will be banned from overseas direct purchases starting in June if they are not KC certified. Additionally, 34 types of electrical and household products with high risks of fire and electric shock, such as electric heating mats, will also be subject to the ban if they are not KC certified.