Emerging consumer product safety trend and issues in Ko-

rea

November 1, 2011

Korea Consumer AgencyDr. Eun-sill Choi

International Cooperation Team

Contents

I. Injury information collecting system in Korea 1. What is the CISS? 2. Main points of the CISS in Korea 3. Operating procedure of the CISS at the KCA

II. Consumer product safety trend and issues in Korea

1. Safety accidents caused by household products 2. Consumer products containing harmful substance 3. Safety accidents involving the vulnerable consumer group 4. Other

III. Q&A

1. What is the CISS?

■ The Korea Consumer Agency has been operating the Consumer

Injury Surveillance System (CISS) in order to protect consumers

from harmful goods. With the system, we collect consumer in-

jury information through major hospitals, fire stations and hot-

lines nationwide and take proper actions.

I. Injury information collecting system in Korea

2. Main points of the CISS in Korea

■ In order to identify harmful goods, it is effective to collect information of

incidents that actually happen to consumers. The information is collected

from fire stations and hospitals which get direct incident report.

■ How to collect injury information is almost identical around the world. Ac-

cording to the Framework Act on Consumer, the Korean Government des-

ignates agencies submitting injury information such as major hospitals

and fire stations and the Consumer Safety Center at the KCA collects and

analyzes injury information and take proper actions .

● 84 Injury information-submitting agencies: Major 66 hospital

● emergency rooms and 18 fire stations nationwide

● Collected information amount (2008-2011) : 161,868 cases

I. Injury information collecting system in Korea

Consumer Claim (Consumer Counseling

Hotline, Internet)

Injury Information Reporting Agencies

(Hospitals, Fire station, etc.)

Nationwide consumer counseling network

(KCA, Consumer organizations, Local governments)

Cooperating agencies(National Fire Data System of

National Emergency Management Agency)

CISS(Consumer

Injury Surveillance

System)

Proposing corrective measures or

recall to the Business

Proposing safety system improvement

Issuing alarm and announcing the fact

(press release, report, etc.)

Information provision to related agencies

Information

collection

Analysis &

Investigation

3. Operating procedure of the CISS at the KCA

I. Injury information collecting system in Korea

II. Consumer product safety trend and issues in Korea

1. Safety accidents caused by household products

■ One touch mini can accident caused by the sharp blade

■ cork heat pot stand with high fire risk

■ Christmas decoration and ornament with high fire risk

2. Consumer products containing harmful substance

■ Imported shoes found to have dimethyl fumarate, causing skin disease

■ Credit card receipt found to have ‘bisphenol A’

3. Safety accidents involving the vulnerable consumer group

■ Ornament for children clothes causing choking accident

■ Bathroom tile causing slip and fall accident for senior citizens

■ Children’s sleepwear without flame resistant

■ Magnetic-included household products and toys: Children injury risk

II. Consumer product safety trend and issues in Korea

4. Other

■ Nano products increase (baby products): hazard validation issue

■ Leisure ATV: fall accidents

■ Electronic eyelash curler

II. Consumer product safety trend and issues in Korea

III. Q&A

Thank you!