Harmful substances such as lead and phthalate plasticizers were detected above the standard in some children's raincoats, toys, and accessories sold on Chinese online direct-purchase platforms. The Seoul city government asked for sales of the products to be halted.
The Seoul city government said on the 28th that it conducted safety inspections on 32 children's products sold on overseas online platforms such as AliExpress, Temu, and Shein, and found that 10 products did not meet domestic safety standards.
Among those surveyed, four children's umbrellas and parasols did not meet physical safety standards or limits on harmful substances. In some products, lead was detected in the umbrella rib holder and button retaining pin at 1.1 times and 5.8 times the domestic standard, respectively.
Three parasol products fell short of the finishing standards for the umbrella tip. Some tips were sharp or had a diameter below the standard (2 mm or more), and in some products the cover was found to separate easily. The Seoul city government said there is a risk of cuts and puncture injuries during use.
In one children's raincoat, a phthalate plasticizer was detected in the zipper reinforcement at 3.6 times the standard. Phthalate plasticizers are known to be substances that can disrupt the endocrine system.
Another raincoat had poorly finished hood drawstrings and featured cords and ornaments that are banned in children's clothing, resulting in a determination that it did not meet safety standards.
In two children's apparel accessories, acidity (pH) exceeded the standard and nonylphenol, an endocrine-disrupting substance, was detected at more than 4.3 times the standard.
Among toys, a keycap keychain product showed lead at 1.7 times the standard, and a wooden toy was found to have a sharp tip.
The Seoul city government said it asked the platforms to halt sales of the 10 products that failed to meet standards. The inspection results can be found on the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Seoul Electronic Commerce Center websites.