Seoul found harmful substances or safety concerns in 7 of 20 children-related products tested, including sensory toys, stickers and keycap key rings sold online and in stationery stores. Officials said some items marketed for users 14 and older had phthalate plasticizers, cadmium, formaldehyde, methanol and boron above reference standards for children’s products. The city asked overseas platforms to stop selling the failing products and warned parents to check age labels and safety notices. It will test school supplies and backpacks sold through overseas online platforms in September.
Toys are displayed at the “2026 Gravitrax Festa Summer” exhibition at SETEC in Gangnam, Seoul, July 26. Yonhap
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.
