This article was published on the ChosunBiz RM Report site at 5:21 a.m. on Jan. 16, 2026.
As "triclosan," an ingredient banned for use in Korea, was detected in Aekyung Industrial Co.'s "2080 toothpaste," controversy is growing after it was confirmed that 25 million units were distributed in the market. While Aekyung Industrial Co. does bear management responsibility, critics say over-the-counter drug oversight should be tightened because the product passed government spot checks over the years and triclosan testing is not legally included among the test items corporations are required to conduct on their own.
According to Aekyung Industrial Co. on the 16th, some 2080 toothpaste manufactured since Apr. 2023 were found to contain triclosan. The total volume is 31 million units, with 25 million distributed in the market excluding 6 million kept at Aekyung Industrial Co.'s logistics centers. The product is manufactured by China's "Domy" and has been imported and sold by Aekyung Industrial Co.
Aekyung Industrial Co. said, "Not every product manufactured since Apr. 2023 showed detection of the ingredient, but we confirmed that some products from that point contained it," adding, "We have halted the release of inventory and decided on a voluntary recall of all distributed units."
Aekyung Industrial Co. said that, after checking with Domy on how triclosan was mixed in, it received a response that the production lines were not completely separated, creating a possibility of cross-contamination between materials and equipment, and that cleaning and disinfection of equipment and piping had not been sufficiently carried out. It added that it was also told triclosan was used during disinfection in the wash-water system.
Triclosan, known for strong antibacterial effects, was once widely used in oral care products, but potential endocrine disruption and hormonal changes have been repeatedly raised as health concerns. In response, the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety fully banned the use of the ingredient in oral care products such as toothpaste starting in Oct. 2016. Now, eight years after the ban took effect, a product containing triclosan has been found to have been distributed in large quantities.
According to the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety, toothpaste is classified as an over-the-counter drug and must be manufactured under the "standard manufacturing criteria for over-the-counter drugs." Ingredients permitted in toothpaste are predetermined, and only active and added ingredients approved by the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety may be used. Since triclosan is not on this list, it is clear that detection of the ingredient is Aekyung Industrial Co.'s fault.
However, triclosan is not included among the product testing and inspection items. Aekyung Industrial Co. explained, "Because triclosan is not included in the legal inspection items, we did not identify it in the lot-by-lot testing process." Currently mandatory items corporations must test include properties (color and odor), content (main ingredients such as fluoride), pH (acidity), heavy metals, and microbial tests. Preservatives and additives like triclosan are not tested separately because they are ingredients banned from the outset.
An industry official said, "Unless corporations themselves add banned substances to their inspection items, it is difficult to screen them out in advance even if a banned substance is included," adding, "If a separate detection test is added in case triclosan might have been mixed in, corporations will inevitably incur additional time and expense."
Although the government conducts irregular monitoring, it is also difficult to perfectly screen out problematic products. The Ministery of Food and Drug Safety tested 30 types of toothpaste distributed domestically last year for triclosan content, and the 2080 toothpaste at issue this time also received a passing judgment. Earlier, in 2024, the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety and the Korea Customs Service conducted a joint inspection, and it also received a passing judgment at the time.
An official at the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety said, "Because triclosan is banned from use in toothpaste preparations, manufacturers and importers are obligated to manage thoroughly to ensure the problematic ingredient is not added or mixed." The official added, "Since 2018, the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety has conducted periodic monitoring by product and ingredient for preemptive safety verification of matters of public interest or issues regarding over-the-counter drugs," and said, "Criteria for selecting products or ingredients are set considering recent domestic and overseas safety issues and information such as production and import records from the previous year."
The Ministery of Food and Drug Safety plans to prepare necessary measures through collection testing of the product and an investigation into the cause.
Lee Eun-hee, a professor of consumer studies at Inha University, said, "While it is important for corporations to conduct their own checks, ultimately a strengthened government-level management system must proceed in parallel." Lee added, "Banned substances can unintentionally get in, and as cases of using new raw materials and substances are increasing across industry recently, it is difficult to fully ensure safety under the existing system alone," and said, "More systematic official procedures should be established for corporations to inquire with or request verification from the authorities."