SEOUL – South Korean authorities have decided to implement a new system to distinguish original South Korean cosmetic products from knockoffs that are common in China.
The Korea Customs Service (KCS) on Tuesday said it plans to mark Korean cosmetics with a special QR code label to verify authenticity and ultimately help protect both brands and consumers.
KCS plans to implement the new verification system starting from June.
In tandem with the growing popularity of South Korean cosmetics, more illegal copycat products have been appearing on Chinese online channels, according to KCS.
These vendors reportedly sell fakes of Korean cosmetics that highly resemble the original.
The labels have been tweaked to deceive customers.
For instance, they might have “Sulansoo” printed on them instead of “Sulwhasoo”, a high-end skin care brand under AmorePacific.
Fake items account for about 40 per cent of all cosmetic products sold online in China, according to the country’s State Administration for Industry and Commerce.
South Korea’s overseas online cosmetics sales have enjoyed explosive growth, with China-bound sales accounting for about 45.8 per cent last year, according to KCS.
