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Seoul finds harmful substances in 7 children's products
Toys are displayed at the “2026 Gravitrax Festa Summer” exhibition at SETEC in Gangnam, Seoul, July 26. Yonhap
By Lee Kyung-min
Products marketed for children 14 and older are drawing scrutiny after Seoul officials had safety concerns or found harmful substances in seven of 20 products tested.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Tuesday that its testing found excessive levels of phthalate plasticizers, cadmium and other substances in sensory toys, stickers and keycap key rings sold through overseas online platforms and domestic stationery stores.
The products were labeled for users 14 and older, meaning they were not subject to mandatory certification, but officials compared their safety results with standards applied to products intended for children ages 8 and older.
Three of five sensory products tested contained phthalate plasticizers at levels as high as 164.2 times the relevant children’s product standard, while packaging for one product contained phthalates at 142.7 times the standard and cadmium at 1.5 times the limit.
Two products also exceeded reference limits in tests designed to determine whether substances could leach from products, with formaldehyde reaching 2.3 times the limit, methanol 1.3 times and boron as much as 1.2 times.
One product contained preservatives that are prohibited in products intended for children younger than 3, while one sticker contained phthalates at 176 times the reference standard and five times the cadmium.
In another case, a small battery separated from a key ring during a tensile test, posing a potential swallowing hazard for children.
The city said it asked overseas platforms to stop selling products that exceeded the reference safety standards and distributed safety notices through elementary schools and toy retailers in Seoul.
Officials urged parents to check age labels and safety warnings when buying products for children 13 and younger.
The city said it plans to test children’s school supplies and backpacks sold through overseas online platforms in September.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.