The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment (MCEE, Minister Kim Sungwhan) announced that a safety check on 2,213 household chemical products distributed domestically and purchased directly from overseas found that 220 products violated safety standards or failed to meet Korea’s domestic safety standards as of August this year.

This investigation targeted household chemical products subject to safety verification, with products selected based on distribution status and recent rates of violations and non-compliance.

For products distributed domestically, regular safety checks and follow-up measures have continued. Of the 1,313 domestically distributed products investigated this year, 31 were found to have violated safety standards, for a violation rate of 2.4%. This was lower than the rates recorded in recent investigations, including 3.2% in 2024 and 3.7% in 2025. Domestic products in violation were found across 12 product categories, including six air fresheners, four filter-type preservative treatment products, and three each of cleaners, adhesives, special-purpose coatings, deodorants, and object-painting products.

By contrast, household chemical products purchased directly from overseas are not subject to the safety standards verification and reporting requirements that apply to products distributed domestically, making it difficult for consumers to verify their safety before purchase. Accordingly, the MCEE has expanded the number of overseas direct-purchase products subject to annual safety checks to more than 2,000 since 2025.

This year, particular attention was given to adhesives and painting and coating products, which have historically had high rates of non-compliance, as well as air fresheners and cleaners, which see high consumer demand depending on the season and time of year. Of the 900 overseas direct-purchase products investigated, including these product categories, 189 were found to be non-compliant with Korea’s domestic safety standards, resulting in a non-compliance rate of 21%.

Non-compliance was particularly concentrated among air fresheners; painting, dyeing, and coating products; and adhesives. Of the 189 non-compliant products, 75 were products used to add fragrance or eliminate odors (incense, aroma and fragrance oils, indoor and car air fresheners, and deodorants); 69 were products used to add color to objects or protect surfaces (automotive paint pens, leather and shoe dyes, waterproofing and anti-fog products, and polishes); and 30 were products used to attach objects or decorations (nail and eyelash adhesives, and adhesives for crafts, jewelry, and shoes). Together, these products accounted for 92.1% of all non-compliant overseas direct-purchase products.

The MCEE immediately initiated administrative action through the relevant regional environmental offices against the domestically distributed products identified as non-compliant. At the same time, even before the administrative measures were finalized, the MCEE recommended that manufacturers and importers suspend the sale and use of the violating products, voluntarily recall them, and notify consumers, while requesting online retailers to block sales of the products so they could first be isolated from the market. Subsequently, all administrative measures, including bans on manufacturing and imports and recall orders, were completed based on the nature of each violation. 

For non-compliant overseas direct-purchase products, the MCEE immediately requested that overseas online retailers block sales upon con.firmation and asked the Korea Customs Service to suspend customs clearance for the products, taking measures to prevent them from entering the domestic market. Going forward, the MCEE plans to continue monitoring whether hazardous products are being redistributed through new sales channels.

Detailed information on products found to be in violation or non-compliant, including product names, product photos, sellers, URLs where the products were being sold at the time of the investigation, and details of the violations or non-compliance, is available on the Chemical Products Safety Portal, ‘Choroknuri’ (ecolife.mcee.go.kr).

Heo Hye-in, Director for the Chemical Products and Biocides Division at the MCEE, said, “It is important to isolate products that violate safety standards or are non-compliant from the market as soon as the investigation results are con.firmed and promptly complete the necessary follow-up measures. For domestically distributed products, we will simultaneously proceed with administrative procedures and request domestic online retailers to block sales, while for overseas direct-purchase products, we will block sales through overseas online retailers and request the Korea Customs Service to suspend customs clearance, ensuring that hazardous products are not distributed domestically or newly brought into the country.”

She added, “As household chemical products purchased directly from overseas are not subject to the safety standards verification and reporting requirements that apply to domestically distributed products, consumers should carefully check whether the products they intend to purchase are listed on Choroknuri as failing to meet safety standards before making a purchase.”

For further information, please contact the Public Relations Division. 

Contact person: Gina Lee, foreign media spokesperson

Phone: +82-44-201-6055

Email: gcjgina @gmail.com