Gov’t toughens regulations on electric flyswatters

The government on Wednesday devised stricter regulations for electric flyswatters after reports of people getting accidentally shocked by devices that were inadvertently switched on.

The new rules, set to go into effect in July, will require manufacturers to include at least two switches on electric flyswatters. They will also be barred from using character designs to keep children away from the devices.

The revised regulations will only apply to flyswatters released after July 1. Those already on the market can still be sold, and products that comply with the newer rules will have a certification to indicate it.

While the electric current in flyswatters is not high enough to cause direct harm to humans, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said there were cases of people getting surprised by the jolt and injuring themselves in the process.

In addition to the extra switch, which the government is requiring to be difficult to reach, manuals for flyswatters have to include warnings about users possibly getting cut by the metal.

By Kim Young-nam