This article was displayed on the ChosunBiz RM Report website at 5:21 a.m. on Jan. 16, 2026.
Triclosan, an ingredient banned for use in Korea, was detected in Aekyung Industrial Co.'s "2080 Toothpaste," and it has been confirmed that 25 million units were distributed in the market, stirring controversy. While Aekyung Industrial Co. does bear management responsibility, critics say over‑the‑counter drug oversight must be tightened because the product received a passing grade in the government's random inspections over the years, and triclosan testing is not legally included among the items that corporations must check on their own.
According to Aekyung Industrial Co. on the 16th, triclosan was found to be included in some 2080 toothpaste manufactured since April 2023. The total volume is 31 million units, of which 25 million were distributed in the market, excluding 6 million stored at Aekyung Industrial Co.'s logistics center. The product is manufactured by China's "Domy" and has been imported and sold by Aekyung Industrial Co.
Aekyung Industrial Co. said, "It is not that the ingredient was detected in all products manufactured since April 2023, but it was confirmed that it was mixed into some products after that point," adding, "We have halted shipments of inventory and decided on a voluntary recall of all products in distribution."
Aekyung Industrial Co. said that in checking with Domy on how triclosan was mixed in, it received the response that the production processes were not completely separated, creating the possibility of cross‑contamination between materials and equipment, and that cleaning and disinfection of equipment and piping were not carried out sufficiently. It added that it was also told triclosan was used during disinfection in the wash‑water system.
Triclosan is an ingredient with strong antibacterial effects that was widely used in oral care products in the past, but concerns about endocrine disruption and hormonal changes have been raised continuously. In response, the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety has completely banned the use of the ingredient in oral care products such as toothpaste since Oct. 2016. Eight years after the ban took effect, products containing triclosan were 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." The ingredients that can be used in toothpaste are predetermined, and only ingredients approved by the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety, such as active ingredients and additives, may be used. Since triclosan is not included on this list, it is clear that the detection of the ingredient is the fault of Aekyung Industrial Co.
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 catch it during per‑lot testing." The items corporations are currently required to test include characteristics (color and odor), content (active ingredients such as fluoride), pH (acidity), heavy metals, and microbial tests. Preservatives or additives like triclosan were not tested separately because such ingredients are banned from the outset.
An industry official said, "Unless corporations add banned substances to their own inspection items, it is difficult to screen them out in advance even if they are included," adding, "If a separate detection test is added in case triclosan may have been mixed in, corporations inevitably incur additional time and expense."
Although the government does conduct irregular monitoring, it is still 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 grade. 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 grade at the time.
An official at the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety said, "Because triclosan is banned for use in toothpaste preparations, manufacturers and importers have a duty to manage thoroughly so that the problematic ingredient is not added or mixed in." The official added, "Since 2018, the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety has conducted periodic monitoring by product and ingredient to provide preventive safety verification for matters of public interest or issues regarding over‑the‑counter drugs," and "The criteria for selecting products or ingredients are set in consideration of recent domestic and international safety issues and information such as the previous year's production and import performance."
The Ministery of Food and Drug Safety plans to prepare necessary measures through a recall inspection of the product and an investigation into the cause.
Lee Eun‑hee, a professor in the Department of Consumer Studies at Inha University, said, "It is important for corporations to conduct their own checks, but ultimately a strengthening of the management system at the government level must proceed in parallel." She added, "Banned substances can enter unintentionally, and as cases of using new raw materials and substances are increasing across industries recently, it is difficult to fully ensure safety with the existing system alone," and "A more systematic official procedure should be established for corporations to inquire with or request verification from the authorities."