What did Chinese authorities find in the Kangbao County cabbage case?

Authorities confirmed that cabbage sellers in Kangbao County, Zhangjiakou, were using formaldehyde solution to keep cabbage fresh during transportation. The county government said the video allegations were true and described it as an illegal act by a purchaser.

How is Korea responding to the formaldehyde cabbage scandal from China?

Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said it is checking through the Korean Embassy in China and other channels whether the cabbage was exported to Korea. It has also strengthened import inspections of Chinese cabbage and said it will take necessary measures if more information is confirmed.

Which markets in China reacted to the Kangbao cabbage contamination case?

Beijing’s Xinfadi Market said it reviewed its supply routes and found that cabbage from the affected area had not entered the market. Nanjing’s Zhongcai Vegetable Market banned cabbage from Kangbao County and required formaldehyde testing for cabbage from other regions.

Is my kimchi safe? China formaldehyde cabbage scandal puts Korea on alert

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Summary

China has launched a nationwide food safety inspection after cabbage sellers in northern China were found using formaldehyde solution to keep vegetables fresh, and Korea has strengthened inspections of Chinese cabbage imports. The local government in Kangbao County said the video allegations were true and called the act illegal. Korea’s food safety ministry said it is checking whether the cabbage was exported to Korea and will take further steps if needed.

Key Facts

China’s State Administration for Market Regulation said Sunday that it had ordered local authorities to investigate the use of formaldehyde solution in Kangbao County, Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province.
The administration also told authorities to trace the distribution routes of the affected cabbage, prevent it from entering the market, and carry out special sampling inspections nationwide.
Formaldehyde is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen.
Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said it has strengthened import inspections of Chinese cabbage and is checking whether any of the cabbage involved was exported to Korea.
Beijing’s Xinfadi Market said it reviewed its supply routes and found no cabbage from the affected area had entered the market, while Nanjing’s Zhongcai Vegetable Market banned cabbage from Kangbao County and made formaldehyde testing mandatory for cabbage from other regions.

By Hankookilbo

Published Aug 24, 2026 4:58 pm KST

Workers dip the roots of cabbages into a container of liquid before loading them onto a truck at a cabbage purchasing site in Kangbao County, Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province, China. Captured from Douyin

Chinese authorities have launched a nationwide food safety inspection after cabbage sellers in northern China were found using formaldehyde solution to keep the vegetables fresh, prompting Korea to strengthen inspections of Chinese cabbage imports.

Formaldehyde is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen.

China's State Administration for Market Regulation said Sunday that it had instructed local authorities to investigate and swiftly address the use of formaldehyde solution in Kangbao County, Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province, according to China's state-run Xinhua News Agency on Monday.

The administration, together with the Food Safety Office of the State Council and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, also ordered authorities to trace the distribution routes of the affected cabbage and prevent it from entering the market.

Authorities were also instructed to conduct special sampling inspections and market checks nationwide targeting cabbage and other vegetables prone to spoilage.

The case came to light after an account on Douyin, China's version of TikTok, posted a video filmed at a cabbage field in Kangbao County.

The footage shows workers picking up cabbages one by one and dipping their root ends into a container of liquid before loading them onto a truck. Containers labeled "formaldehyde solution" were also seen nearby.

A person at the site said in the video that the treatment could keep the cabbage fresh for an additional two to three days.

"The preliminary investigation confirmed that the allegations raised in the video were true," the local Kanbgao County government said. "It was an illegal act committed by a purchaser to maintain the freshness of vegetables during transportation."

Public security authorities have taken measures and are continuing to investigate the case.

Concerns have since spread through China's produce distribution industry.

Authorities in Beijing's Fengtai District said Sunday that Xinfadi Market, Beijing's largest wholesale agricultural market, conducted a comprehensive review of its supply routes and found that cabbage from the affected area had not entered the market.

Meanwhile, Zhongcai Vegetable Market in Nanjing has completely banned cabbage from Kangbao County and made formaldehyde testing mandatory for cabbage supplied from other regions.

It remains unclear how widely the affected cabbage was distributed within China or whether any was exported overseas, including to Korea.

Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said Monday that it was working through the Korean Embassy in China and other channels to determine whether cabbage involved in the formaldehyde case had been exported to Korea.

"We are checking whether the Chinese cabbage involving the use of formaldehyde was exported to Korea through the Korean Embassy in China and other channels," the ministry said.

"We have also strengthened import inspections of Chinese cabbage and plan to take necessary measures if additional information is confirmed," it said.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.

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