On Sunday, South Korea decided to retract its proposal to prevent foreign businesses from selling goods for cross-border shopping without South Korea's safety certifications, just three days after initially announcing the plan. Lee Jeong-won, second vice minister of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, clarified that the government was not pursuing a comprehensive ban on 80 types of items for cross-border shopping, stating that it was "physically and legally impossible." The earlier announcement had indicated a ban on purchasing 80 types of items, including toys, strollers, safety gear for kids, heated mattresses, lighting appliances, and household chemicals, without South Korea's safety certification mark. Instead of a blanket ban, Lee mentioned that the government planned to inspect these items and only prohibit those deemed unsafe. He emphasized that cross-border shopping for items that do not pose a threat is not to be restricted, and measures to restrict harmful items would potentially be implemented starting in June. Furthermore, Lee acknowledged that the KC safety certification was not the sole method of ensuring product safety, and the government is open to soliciting public input on the matter. The decision to withdraw the plan came amid criticism from various political figures, including Han Dong-hoon, former interim chair of the ruling People Power Party, and conservative heavyweight Yoo Seong-min. The conservative government's proposal, announced on Thursday, aimed to mandate safety certification for potentially harmful items from foreign businesses, but it faced backlash from both political circles and the public. This reversal in policy comes as South Korean consumers spent a significant amount on cross-border shopping in 2023, driven by the growing popularity of Chinese e-commerce platforms like AliExpress and Temu.