Heavy metals found in imported children's watches and necklaces at 278 times the legal limit in South Korea

In the fourth week of May, Seoul, South Korea, conducted a safety inspection of products from an overseas online platform and found that one children's watch and one necklace contained heavy metals that were harmful to the human body at levels up to 278 times the legal limit.
The fourth week of May saw tests on a total of seven children's accessories, including necklaces, watches, and hairpins, sold on SHEIN and AliExpress.
The products were three in number. The items inspected were whether harmful chemicals were detected, their durability, etc. Heavy metals (lead, chromium, nickel) were detected in two types of children's accessories that come into direct contact with children's bodies.
First, lead was found in the crown of a children's watch, which winds the watch's mainspring, at levels 278 times higher than the legal limit. Also, chromium was found in the metal part on the back of the watch during an elution test, at levels 3.43 times higher than the legal limit.
The metal part of the children's necklace was found to contain 1.17 times the standard amount of lead, and nickel was also found to be 4.4 times higher than the standard amount.
Lead can harm reproductive systems and increase the risk of cancer, especially during pregnancy.
It can affect brain development and cause learning and behavior problems in children. Chromium is highly toxic and can induce acute and chronic skin irritation. It also has respiratory toxicity.
Nickel can cause allergic reactions, leading to itching and rashes.