The Seoul city government announced on the 27th the results of safety inspections on 23 types of children’s umbrellas, raincoats, and boots sold on AliExpress and Temu, as well as 12 types of children’s products in preparation for the rainy season.
According to the inspection results from the Seoul city government, all 8 types of children’s umbrellas did not meet the physical safety standards. They had sharp parts that could cause cuts or punctures.
Six umbrella products also detected harmful substances exceeding domestic standards. In one case, a children’s umbrella sold on AliExpress was found to contain a phthalate plasticizer that exceeded the standard by 443.5 times. The remaining 5 products were found to exceed the standard by 17 to 254.4 times.
Phthalate plasticizers are known to affect reproductive functions, leading to a decrease in sperm count, infertility, and preterm birth. They are also classified as possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
In the remaining 2 umbrella products, lead levels were detected at up to 27.7 times the standard. Exposure to lead above safety standards can harm reproductive functions and increase the risk of cancer.
Three children’s raincoat products did not meet the physical safety standards. They had decorative cords prohibited for use on hoods or drawstrings, or the length of the adjustment tabs on the back exceeded the standard. Wearing such products could lead to accidents like getting caught or entangled.
In one raincoat product, formaldehyde was detected in the border fabric at about 32.6 times the domestic standard. Formaldehyde is known to be a major pollutant causing sick house syndrome.
Based on the results of this inspection, the Seoul city government requested each online platform to halt sales of the non-compliant products. The inspection results can be confirmed on the Seoul city or Seoul Electronic Commerce Center websites.
A Seoul city official noted, "We plan to conduct safety inspections on children’s water play products, swimsuits, and swim caps in preparation for the summer vacation season in July."