Toys Without KPS Mark Still on the Market

Amid the growing global concern over the safety of toys manufactured in China, it has been confirmed that some toys made in China were also sold in the Korean market, even though some of them have not acquired the Korea Product Safety (KPS) mark.

From August 17-19, Dong-A Ilbo went to 20 toy stores in the metropolitan area and found that five uncertified Chinese-manufactured toys are being sold at Korea’s largest toy wholesalers’ market on “toy” street located in downtown Jongrogu. Among the five items, three were imported by company “Y,” and the others by companies “S” and “D,” respectively.

According to quality and manufacturing-safety management laws revised last year, all toy manufacturers and importers must submit their toys for KPS certification from three testing agencies designated by the government if their toys were produced or imported after March 24 this year.

In response to Dong-A Ilbo’s revelation, “S” said, “We might have forgotten to attach the KPS mark when we rolled the products out.” Dong-A was unable to reach “Y” or “D.”

Dong-A also confirmed that Mattel’s “Polly World” (Product code: J1681), which has been recalled on a massive scale due to the potential hazard posed by a small magnet, is still being sold in one toy store in Seochogu.

As five toys on recall manufactured by Mattel in China have been confirmed to have received KPS certification in Korea, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy is currently looking at how the certification is given, and sent inspectors last Thursday to the Korea Toy Industry Cooperative which conducted the certification process. The ministry plans to ask for a new safety inspection from another agency.

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