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Amid controversy over reports that formaldehyde, a Group 1 carcinogen, was used in some rural areas of China to keep cabbages fresh, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is checking whether any of the cabbages were imported into the country.

An official from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said on the 24th, "Currently, it is difficult to confirm whether they were imported into South Korea based solely on information from media reports and other sources, so we are checking whether they were exported to South Korea through the Chinese Embassy and other channels," adding, "We plan to take necessary measures upon verifying additional information."

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has implemented measures to strengthen import inspections on Chinese cabbages.

The formaldehyde cabbage incident became known after a Chinese blogger released a video filming a cabbage purchasing site in Kangbao County. The video captured buyers lifting cabbages one by one and dipping their roots into a basin containing a liquid presumed to be formaldehyde before loading them onto trucks.

As the controversy spread, the Kangbao County government launched an on-site investigation and confirmed that the contents in the video were true.

The Kangbao County government stated, "It is an illegal act committed by buyers to maintain freshness during cabbage transportation," adding that public security authorities have taken compulsory measures against the persons and vehicles involved in accordance with the law.

To date, it has not been confirmed whether the problematic cabbages were exported overseas, including to South Korea, nor has the specific distribution scope within China been identified.

Formaldehyde is a highly irritating, colorless chemical substance, and its aqueous solution is commonly called "formalin." It is used as a tissue preservative for corpses.

                                                                                                        Lee Jeong-yeon