On the 13th, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced that it will strengthen safety management for overseas direct purchases of cosmetics in collaboration with the tariff office, the Korea Consumer Agency, and local governments, in response to the increasing trend of direct purchases of cosmetics through overseas online platforms, to prevent consumer harm.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety will significantly expand the scale of cosmetic purchases and inspections from 110 cases last year to 1,080 cases this year.
In particular, due to numerous instances of non-compliance with standards regarding heavy metals (lead, nickel, antimony) found in color cosmetics and eye makeup purchased from platforms like Ali and Temu last year, inspections will prioritize similar types of products this year.
For overseas direct purchase cosmetics that raise safety concerns based on inspection results, the ministry will request the relevant overseas direct purchase online platforms and the Korea Communications Standards Commission to block the sales sites and seek customs prohibition measures from the tariff office.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, in collaboration with the tariff office and the Korea Consumer Agency, will utilize the consumer safety monitoring system (CISS) to select targets for inspection of overseas direct purchase cosmetics based on ingredient analysis results. It will also integrate and manage the purchase and inspection plans and results of overseas direct purchase products conducted by various ministries, agencies, and local governments according to the basic plan for managing cosmetics manufacturing and distribution.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety will provide comprehensive information on overseas direct purchase cosmetics, including safety information (product name, inspection results, product photos, etc.), on the 'Drug Safety Nation' platform, allowing consumers to easily access information regarding cosmetics that pose potential harm and guidelines on what to be cautious about when purchasing cosmetics through overseas direct purchase.