Gov`t to disclose makers of sub-standard products

By Lee Joon-seung
SEOUL, Feb. 24 (Yonhap) -- The government will disclose the names of unsafe and
sub-standard products along with those of their manufacturers and importers
starting next year to get businesses to revamp their quality control systems, a
state agency said Tuesday.
The measure will cover both domestically made products and imports with both
on-line and offline markets to be affected, the head of the Korean Agency for
Technology and Standards (KATS) said.
"In the past, disclosing names could lead to civil lawsuits, and ordering a
recall on harmful products took time because local authorities were responsible
for getting such products off the market," said Nam In-suk, the head of KATS.
For critical defects, the product name and manufacturer will be announced
immediately, while for more minor cases the government will only disclose repeat
offenders, he said.
Despite growing public awareness of product safety, the number of defective
products was found have reached 7,334 in 2007 -- up from 5,453 the year before.
The government said particular attention will be paid to products used by infants
and children.
The agency also said that from 2012 Seoul will implement a so-called manufacture
self-screening system that is aimed at getting companies to conduct safety and
standards tests and take full responsibility for any problems detected.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
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