Seoul: The number of products recalled in South Korea due to safety issues increased around 5 percent in 2025 from a year earlier, data showed Monday, amid an increase in hazardous imported goods sold on online marketplaces. The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) reported 2,656 recall cases in 2025, compared to 2,537 in 2024, primarily due to violations of the Framework Act on Consumers.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the watchdog highlighted that the number of recall cases involving violations of the consumer act reached 851, marking a rise of approximately 42 percent from the previous year. This increase is attributed to products that had already been recalled overseas being sold on domestic online marketplaces. Recalls involve corrective actions taken by businesses, either voluntarily or in compliance with government recommendations or orders, to address product defects that pose or could pose harm to consumers.
The FTC noted, "Considering the increase in hazardous imported goods sold locally amid a rise in direct purchases by consumers, (the FTC) is enhancing surveillance in cooperation with relevant agencies." The government is actively working to halt the sale of hazardous products subject to recalls overseas or those identified as safety risks through safety tests. This involves requesting online marketplace operators to block their sales.
By category, recalls of industrial consumer goods totaled 1,282 cases in 2025, an increase of 8.6 percent from the previous year. In contrast, recalls of pharmaceutical products, including herbal medicines, decreased by 13.5 percent to 295 cases, while medical device recalls rose by 8.5 percent to 308 cases.