The government will launch a sweeping crackdown to catch hazardous products flooding into Korea through Chinese online platforms. It will double safety inspections of direct-purchase imports from 1,000 this year to more than 2,000 by 2028, and newly introduce an always-on online monitoring system using artificial intelligence (AI).
The National Institute of Technology and Standards under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources said on the 12th that 12 ministries and agencies jointly announced the Sixth Comprehensive Plan for Product Safety Management. The move comes on the judgment that hazardous product problems in direct overseas purchases have reached a serious level.
Last year, the noncompliance rate with safety standards for direct-purchase imports was 13.2%, 2.6 times that of domestically distributed products (5.1%). As Chinese platforms such as AliExpress, Temu and Shein accelerate their push into the Korean market, the influx of hazardous products has also surged. The violation rate for proxy-purchased products jumped from 10.2% in 2022 to 18.3% last year.
For direct-purchase imports found hazardous in safety inspections, the government will ask the platforms to delete the sales pages and will disclose the information to the media. After blocking sales, it will continue to monitor for any re-distribution. A system in which AI automatically collects and analyzes 13 recall (repair, exchange, refund) sites across 43 countries to quickly determine whether recalled products are being illegally distributed on domestic online malls will also enter pilot operation this year.
Regulatory rationalization will also move forward. Certification procedures will be streamlined for technically stable product groups such as washing machines and microwave ovens, while safety standards will be strengthened for high-risk items like products with built-in batteries and children's products. For e-scooters and e-bikes, a new safety requirement will be added to automatically cut power in overcharge or over-discharge conditions, raising the bar to the level for two-wheeled motor vehicles. For e-bikes, a new waterproof test item at the everyday splash-resistance level of IPX4 will be introduced to block moisture ingress from rainwater and the like.
The product safety management system, which has so far operated with government-led crackdowns and detections, will shift to a public-private cooperation structure. Online distribution platforms such as Coupang and Naver will expand a self-regulatory system to block noncertified products lacking the Korea Certification (KC) mark. To support this, the government will develop and distribute an API that allows platforms to automatically verify certifications and will expand participating malls from the current 20 to more than 30 by 2028.
For small and midsize firms, the number of corporations receiving support for KC certification testing and certification expense will increase from 382 this year to more than 400 by 2027, and item-by-item guidelines will be distributed whenever safety standards are revised so companies can easily keep up.