This image shows children's products sold on Chinese e-commerce platforms that were tested for safety. Yonhap

The government will implement measures aimed at restricting purchases of harmful products sold by foreign e-commerce websites in order to safeguard consumer health and safety, the Prime Minister's Office announced, Thursday.

This comes in response consumer concerns regarding the sale of hazardous items by e-commerce companies in the absence of adequate restrictions. In recent years, Chinese e-commerce giants such as AliExpress and Temu have aggressively expanded into the Korean market, leveraging competitive pricing and marketing tactics, raising concerns over product safety.

The Office for Government Policy Coordination launched a task force in March and has since worked together with 14 government agencies to come up with consumer protection measures.

The government will prohibit the sale of consumer products lacking official certification ensuring adherence to Korean safety standards. Additionally, it will enact a ban on toys, cosmetics, and household items containing substances or chemicals that pose health risks to respiratory and immune systems.

The government also announced plans to increase monitoring and surveillance of counterfeit products while simultaneously bolstering the protection of personal data, including customs clearance codes.

"By the end of this year, the government intends to pursue revisions to existing laws, aiming to strengthen the management of hazardous products and mandate that foreign e-commerce firms designate authorized agents within Korea," a government official said in a statement.

Starting Thursday, the Fair Trade Commission will launch a new homepage (www.consumer.go.kr) to serve as a resource for consumers, providing important information on product safety, including details on recall status, authentication, and product origin tracking.