The Fair Trade Commission and Korea Consumer Agency issued a consumer safety alert Monday following a rise in swallowing and choking accidents involving infants and older adults.
According to data from the Korea Consumer Agency’s Consumer Injury Surveillance System, a total of 4,113 foreign-object swallowing accidents were reported over the past five years, with 67.6 percent involving children aged 7 or younger.
By age, 1-year-olds accounted for the largest share at 25.2 percent, followed by infants under age 1 at 17.5 percent and 2-year-olds at 13.6 percent. More than half of the cases involved children aged 2 or younger, who are more likely to put objects in their mouths.
The most common hazardous items were magnets, which accounted for 13.8 percent of cases, followed by toys at 10 percent and coins at 9.6 percent. Marbles, stickers and batteries were also identified as causes of accidents. Authorities warned that such objects can lead to serious injuries, including intestinal perforation and airway obstruction.
Older adults also face a high risk of choking accidents due to declining physical functions, such as weakened cough reflexes associated with aging.
Authorities cited cases in which elderly people died after choking on foods such as rice cakes and sweet potatoes, or lost consciousness while eating tangerines. According to the National Fire Agency, a total of 1,196 patients were transported over the past five years after experiencing airway blockage while eating.
The Fair Trade Commission and the Korea Consumer Agency advised consumers to keep small objects such as magnets and coins out of children’s reach, prepare food for older adults in bite-sized pieces and encourage slow chewing and swallowing. They also urged people to immediately perform emergency measures such as the Heimlich maneuver in choking situations.
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