Thirty-five percent of children's headphones sold online fail to meet safety requirements: Consumer agency

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Thirty-five percent of children's headphones sold online fail to meet safety requirements: Consumer agency

Published: 19 Mar. 2026, 16:23 Updated: 19 Mar. 2026, 17:19

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

A children's headphone sold on an overseas shopping platform [KOREA CONSUMER AGENCY]

More than a third of children’s headphones tested from AliExpress, Temu and Amazon contain harmful substances far exceeding Korean safety limits, a government agency said on Thursday.

Tests conducted by the Korea Consumer Agency found that of 20 children's headphones sold on such platforms, 35 percent failed to meet safety requirements.

Seven products contained phthalate plasticizers, known to cause adverse effects on human health, at levels up to 200 times higher than the domestic limit of 0.1 percent. Four of those products also exceeded the lead limit of 100 milligrams per kilogram (1 part per million) by up to 39 times.

Phthalates, classified as endocrine disruptors, can harm reproductive function and development, while lead — a carcinogen — can cause reduced cognitive development, loss of appetite, anemia and muscle weakness.

Children’s headphones sold in Korea must obtain safety certification under the Special Act on the Safety of Children’s Products. However, overseas purchases for personal use can be made without separate safety verification.

The agency said it has shared the findings with the platforms and recommended blocking sales of the products.

AliExpress and Temu said they have halted sales of the items, while Amazon did not respond.

The agency noted that headphone use among children has been rising due to online learning, gaming and long-distance travel, and said it will continue monitoring overseas products to prevent the distribution of unsafe items in Korea.

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.
BY HAN YOUNG-HYE [[email protected]]