Product recalls up 5 pct in 2025 on hazardous imported goods sold online

South Korea saw a 5 percent increase in product recalls due to safety issues in 2025, with 2,656 cases reported compared to 2,537 in 2024, according to data released by the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) on Monday. The majority of the rise in recalls was attributed to products that violated the Framework Act on Consumers, with 851 cases, a 42 percent increase from the previous year.

This surge can be attributed to the growing number of hazardous imported goods sold on online marketplaces, as consumers increasingly make direct purchases from these platforms. The FTC is ramping up its surveillance efforts in collaboration with other agencies to address the issue. In response to the rising number of hazardous products, the government is promptly suspending sales of recalled overseas products and those found to pose safety risks through safety testing, requesting online marketplace operators to block their sales.

By category, industrial consumer goods accounted for 1,282 recalls in 2025, marking an 8.6 percent increase from the previous year. The number of pharmaceutical product recalls, including herbal medicines, fell by 13.5 percent to 295 cases, while medical device recalls rose by 8.5 percent to 308 cases.