[Anchor]

The recent incident in China where Napa cabbages were treated with a group 1 carcinogen was reportedly done to avoid using refrigerated trucks and cut transportation costs. Chinese authorities are currently investigating where these cabbages were distributed.

Correspondent Han Sang-woo reports from Beijing.

[Reporter]

Chinese distributors say that using the preservative formaldehyde helps keep Napa cabbages fresh for longer periods.

[Weiliqige / Blogger who exposed formaldehyde-treated cabbage: (How much longer can they be kept fresh this way?) Two to three days.]

Even within China, long-distance transport typically requires refrigerated vehicles to maintain freshness, but soaking cabbages in water mixed with formaldehyde allegedly allows them to be transported safely using ordinary freight trucks.

This reduces transportation costs to less than half compared to refrigerated shipping.

At the time of the crackdown, the cabbages loaded on the trucks were destined for regions such as Jiangsu and Anhui provinces, both of which are 10 to 12 hours away by vehicle.

The Chinese government has launched formaldehyde tests on cabbages distributed nationwide, including these regions.

Authorities are also investigating the distribution routes and scale of shipment from cabbage-farming areas in Hebei Province.

At the same time, Beijing announced plans to build a modern agricultural product origin tracking system by 2030, incorporating information on production sites, distribution channels, and pricing.

While reports have emerged that cabbages distributed in major cities like Beijing and Guangzhou are free of issues, comprehensive investigation results have not yet been released.

[Beijing Resident: It is not just South Koreans who are worried about this. We are very concerned, too. As soon as we saw the news, we reacted intensely. Who wouldn't be worried?]

South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is currently assessing through the South Korean Embassy in China whether any shipments from the questionable cabbage-growing regions have been imported into South Korea.

The South Korean Embassy in China has requested confirmation from Chinese food safety authorities and import-export departments, but has not yet received a response.

(Video by: Choi Deok-hyun | Video Editing by: Chae Cheol-ho | Design by: Im Chan-hyuk | Video Source: China Weiliqige Douyin)