According to Yonhap News, the South Korean Food and Drug Safety Agency stated on the 31st that, as confirmed by the South Korean Embassy in China, the 'Formaldehyde Cabbage' produced in Zhangjiakou, Hebei, China, has not entered South Korea.
According to the South Korean Food and Drug Administration, as of today, tests were conducted on 15 batches of Chinese imported cabbages and 124 batches of Chinese imported kimchi. No formaldehyde was detected in any of the samples.
According to reports, starting from August 24th, the South Korean Food and Drug Administration has strengthened supervision over the customs clearance process for Chinese imported cabbages. The formaldehyde content of each batch of imported cabbages is tested, and inspections are also carried out on Chinese imported cabbages with spicy flavors and pickled cabbages. The South Korean Food and Drug Administration stated that it will continue to strengthen import customs clearance inspections for Chinese imported cabbages, pickled cabbages, and cabbages with spicy flavors.
On August 22, a blogger posted a video revealing that some buyers in Tunqen Town, Kangbao County, Zhangjiakou Province, used formaldehyde solution to preserve cabbage before shipping it.
On that day, Kangbao County Government issued a statement confirming that the situation depicted in the video was true. It was an illegal act committed by the purchaser to transport fresh vegetables. The public security department has taken compulsory measures against the relevant persons and vehicles in accordance with the law. A comprehensive investigation has been carried out on all aspects of vegetable production in the county, and efforts are being made to trace the whereabouts of the involved cabbage.
According to CCTV News on the 23rd, in response to the issue of "formaldehyde solution dipping during the cabbage procurement process" in Kangbao County, Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province, which has attracted public attention, the State Council's Food Safety Office, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and the State Administration for Market Regulation have attached great importance to this matter. They immediately directed local authorities to conduct investigations and verifications, and handled the situation strictly and quickly according to law. They also investigated the flow of the affected cabbage to prevent problematic products from entering the market. At the same time, they took a broader perspective and organized various regions to immediately carry out special inspections of perishable vegetables such as cabbage, as well as market investigations. If any illegal or irregular activities are detected, severe penalties will be imposed without hesitation, in order to truly safeguard the food safety of the people.
