South Korea has intensified inspections of Chinese cabbage imports after a controversy arose in China over the use of formaldehyde to preserve cabbages. The issue came to light when a Chinese environmental blogger, known as Qige, posted a video on Douyin showing workers in Tunken township, Hebei’s Kangbao county, dipping cabbages in an alleged formaldehyde solution before transportation.

Formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, was confirmed by authorities in northern Hebei province to have been illegally used to preserve cabbages during transit. In response, China has initiated nationwide inspections of perishable vegetables.

South Korea began stricter inspections of Chinese napa cabbage imports on Monday, August 24, 2026. By Wednesday, its Ministry of Food and Drug Safety reported testing eight batches of napa cabbage from China with no formaldehyde detected. The ministry is also testing kimchi and pickled products made with Chinese napa cabbage already available in the domestic market.

South Korean news outlet SBS reported that of the 194,400 tonnes of kimchi imported into South Korea this year, 99.9 percent originated from China.

Taiwan is also conducting checks to determine if potentially tainted produce has reached it indirectly.

This is not the first time formaldehyde use in vegetables has been reported in China. In 2012, media exposed traders in eastern Shandong province spraying formaldehyde on cabbages to maintain freshness during long-distance transport. More recently, in 2024, investigations revealed that tankers transporting cooking oil had previously carried industrial liquids without proper cleaning, raising further food safety concerns.

Sources