Colorful dolls are packed tightly inside transparent claw machines.
Offering everything from popular character dolls to keychains, these machines are popular not only among teenagers but also adults.
[Kim Se-yong / Seo-hae District, Incheon: The characters are kind of cute, so there is a desire to collect them, or you get a sense of excitement when you win one.]
However, when the Korea Consumer Agency inspected 20 products distributed at unattended claw machine arcades, harmful chemical substances exceeding safety standards were detected in 12 of them, or more than half.
[Guk Eun-sook / Head of the Living Safety Team, Korea Consumer Agency: Lead, cadmium, phthalate plasticizers, and other substances exceeding standard limits were detected in some products….]
In particular, phthalate plasticizers, which are used to make plastics softer and act as endocrine disruptors that can hinder children's reproductive function and physical growth, were detected in 9 products at levels up to 347.5 times exceeding the standard limit.
Lead and cadmium, classified as carcinogenic substances by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, also exceeded standard limits by up to 2.7 times and 1.2 times in 8 products and 2 products, respectively.
Furthermore, 10 popular products, including the Chinese character "Labubu," differed in shape and color from genuine items and could not be verified through serial numbers or QR codes for authenticity, indicating a high possibility of being counterfeit goods.
In addition, out of 16 unattended arcades investigated, 4 failed to provide fire extinguishers, and some locations had broken floor tiles or left dangerous items such as knives and gardening shears unattended.
The Korea Consumer Agency plans to share the inspection results with local governments and recommend on-site inspections, while also requesting relevant ministries to strengthen safety management and supervision of products and facilities.
Enjoyed by All Ages… Claw Machine Toys Drenched with Up to 347 Times Excess Toxins (Sep. 10, 2026, 8 News)
Reported by Lee Tae-kwon | Produced by Choi Yoon-seo | Video by Kim Yoon-seong | VJ: Jeong Han-wook | Design: Jang Sung-beom | Produced by SBS Digital News
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