Popular 'wakppu' balls, other children's products found to contain hazardous substances
The Seoul Metropolitan Government tested 20 toys and other items labeled for ages 14 and older and found that seven contained levels of hazardous substances above its safety limits for children's products or had other safety issues.
Sensory toys, known as mallangi in Korea, on display at a store in Jongno District, central Seoul, on March 30NOH YU-RIM
Some products popular among children, including the trendy wax-coated clay “wakppu” balls, were found to contain amounts of hazardous substances above the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s safety limits.
The city government announced on Monday that it had tested 20 toys and other items — labeled for ages 14 and older — and found that seven contained levels of hazardous substances above its safety limits for children’s products or had other safety issues.
Despite the items being labeled for older children, the city tested them using standards for goods intended for children aged 8 and older since children of all ages buy them because of their popularity. Wakppu balls, for example, have gone particularly viral for the tactile sensations produced when their coating is cracked.
Of the 20 items tested, 13 were sensory products, including wakppu balls and squeezable rubber toys known as mallangi; three were party supplies; two were key chains; one was a sticker; and one was an acrylic marker.
Among them, five sensory products, one sticker and one keycap key chain — which makes a clicking sound when pressed, much like a keyboard key — had safety problems.
Three of the sensory products contained phthalate plasticizers, which can disrupt the endocrine system, at levels up to 164.2 times the city’s safety limit.
Similarly, the adhesive backing of one sticker had phthalate plasticizers at 176 times the limit and cadmium, a carcinogen, at five times the limit. Some packaging materials also contained phthalate plasticizers at 142.7 times the limit and cadmium at 1.5 times the limit.
A person squishes a “wakppu” ball in a YouTube video.SCREEN CAPTURE
Leaching tests, designed to measure what substances an item releases when placed in the mouth, found that two of the products had formaldehyde, methanol and boron at levels above the permitted amount. Another had traces of the preservatives CMIT and MIT, which can cause skin irritation.
Additionally, a small battery came loose from one keycap keychain during a tensile strength test, posing a choking hazard if swallowed.
The city said that it has asked overseas online platforms to halt sales of products that failed any of the tests. It also stated that it plans to distribute notices to elementary schools and toy retailers, warning that younger children may still use items meant for ages 14 and older.
It will also conduct safety tests next month on children’s school supplies, backpacks and other goods sold through overseas online platforms.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
