The Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS), under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, announced that 58 products sold through major cross-border e-commerce platforms were found to be non-compliant with South Korean safety standards.
The inspection of 396 products, primarily high-demand summer items, revealed a 14.6% non-compliance rate—nearly three times higher than the 5.0% found in inspections of domestically distributed products earlier this year.
Several product categories recorded notably high failure rates, including water play equipment (22 out of 27), LED luminaires (8 out of 9), and plugs and sockets (4 out of 5). These items were flagged as requiring particular caution when purchased through overseas shopping platforms.
To help consumers make informed decisions, KATS has published the list of non-compliant products on its official website and requested that global e-commerce platforms block their sale. While KC certification is not mandatory for overseas purchases, the agency urges consumers to review product safety information before buying. KATS also announced plans to expand inspections and strengthen monitoring of online platforms in the second half of the year to prevent unsafe products from entering the South Korean market.
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