Cancer-causing substances detected in 38 kid products sold on AliExpress, Temu

An illustrated image shows the logo of Temu, a Chinese online shopping platform, on a mobile phone screen, March 24, 2023. Reuters-Yonhap

High levels of chemicals known to cause cancer have been found in 38 products for kids available on the Chinese shopping apps of AliExpress and Temu for Korean customers, the customs agency said Tuesday.

The Korea Customs Service (KCS) announced the result after analyzing 252 products for children selling on the two Chinese e-commerce platforms, such as toys and accessories for children.

Of them, 27 products were found to contain phthalate plasticizer at levels up to 82 times greater than the Korean safety standards.

Phthalates are banned from use in kid products as the chemicals are endocrine disruptors and exposure to them can cause cancer and other developmental issues.

AliExpress Korea CEO Ray Zhang speaks during a press conference in Seoul, Dec. 6, 2023. Courtesy of AliExpress Korea

Six of the 38 products had cadmium, which is classified as a Class 1 carcinogen, of levels up to 3,026 times larger than the standards, and five of the total were found to contain lead, according to the KCS.

The average price of those products came to 3,468 won ($2.51) and customers are allowed to buy them directly from sellers without meeting due import requirements.

"The government will strengthen the management and supervision of customs clearance to prevent those products from entering here and will continue to inspect substances of major products to ensure consumer safety," an agency official said. (Yonhap)