South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) announced enforcement actions following an inspection of online cosmetic sales. As Korea’s online beauty market expands, regulators are tightening controls.

The review uncovered violations of the Cosmetics Act, prompting the MFDS to request that the Korea Communications Standards Commission block access to the offending websites. Additionally, 35 responsible sellers faced on-site inspections and administrative measures.

Key Violations Identified by MFDS:
Medical-like claims: Terms such as “anti-inflammatory”, “helps with inflammation relief”, and “skin (cell) regeneration” that could mislead consumers into thinking a cosmetic is a medicine.
Claims beyond cosmetic scope: Claimings on some products that could penetrate to the dermis or fascia when used with devices.
False functional claims: General cosmetics advertised as functional cosmetics or with claims that differ from the results of functional cosmetics.

The inspection was conducted to minimize consumer harm from misleading advertising. The MFDS emphasized that cosmetics must not be mistaken for medical treatments and warned consumers against exaggerated claims promising medical-level results. The authority stated they will continue to block illegal advertisements and monitor online sellers.