Reports indicate that harmful heavy metals, such as mercury and arsenic, have been detected in pharmaceuticals and health supplements manufactured in North Korea.
On Thursday, Nippon Television confirmed that harmful heavy metals, including mercury and arsenic, are present in significant amounts in pharmaceuticals and health supplements produced by North Korea. The report also noted that these products are circulating in overseas markets, raising concerns about potential health risks.
In January, South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) analyzed the ingredients of North Korean pharmaceuticals and health supplements distributed in China.
The analysis revealed that the North Korean pharmaceutical Angong Niuhuang Wan contained 9,556 ppm of mercury, about 40,000 times higher than the permissible limit in South Korea.
The health supplements “Royal Blood-Fresh” and “Yangchun Samrok” contained mercury levels 41 to 67 times above the standard limit. Several types of heavy metals, including arsenic, lead, and cadmium, were detected in multiple products at levels well above permissible limits.
Nippon TV cited a related report stating that North Korean products do not meet quality standards and show significant variation in ingredients within the same product. The report also suggested that soil contamination from factory wastewater could be a source of this ingredient contamination.
These pharmaceuticals and supplements are sold on major online platforms in China, often at prices lower than those of similar Chinese products.
A source familiar with internal affairs in North Korea stated that North Korea is using pharmaceuticals and health supplements to earn foreign currency and has secured sales routes to countries like Russia and Cambodia. International health risks cannot be ignored.
