Buying a health functional food or an overseas direct-purchase food based on the ad copy alone often ends in regret. Checking just a few things before you pay can filter out most risky products.
1Step 1 — Check whether it's a properly certified health functional food
Food Safety Korea lets you check whether a product is officially certified as a health functional food by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, along with its functional ingredients and precautions for use. If you're buying a diet supplement or health food through overseas direct purchase, it's safer to search the product name or ingredient name in the 'Blocked Overseas Direct-Purchase Hazardous Food List' before you pay, to make sure it doesn't contain a harmful ingredient that's been blocked at customs.
2Step 2 — If you've already bought it, check whether it's subject to a recall
Consumer24 lets you search recall history, hazard information, and safety certification status not just for health functional foods but for many everyday products. Recall notices sometimes come out after you've already bought something, so it's a good habit to search occasionally whenever you start to worry about a product you're using.
3Step 3 — If you've already been harmed
If you've already paid and then found out the product contains a harmful ingredient, or the seller is refusing a refund, you can call 1372 (no area code needed) or file for damage relief with the Korea Consumer Agency online through the Consumer24 website.
Services mentioned in this guide
Food Safety Korea
A service for verifying whether a product is an officially recognized health functional food, and checking hazardous ingredients in overseas direct-purchase food products
24 hours
Operated by · 식품의약품안전처
Cost · Free
Consumer24
A Korea Consumer Agency portal covering everything from product recall/hazard information to price comparison and filing damage-relief requests
24 hours
Operated by · 한국소비자원
Cost · Free
1372 Consumer Counseling Center
A counseling and mediation channel under the Korea Fair Trade Commission for consumer damage related to online shopping and contracts
Phone weekdays 09:00-18:00, online anytime
Operated by · 한국소비자원
Cost · Free