A News Outlet Personally Investigates And Confirms Rumors Of BTS Goods Being Prohibited From Entering China
Ever since BTS‘s speech for the Van Fleet Award, they’ve been wrapped up in critique by Chinese netizens. Not only did their Baidu fan bars halt bulk pre-orders of their upcoming album, BE, there were also rumors that all BTS goods and products would be prevented from export into China. JTBC News recently conducted an investigation to confirm the truth of these rumors.
Although Chinese representatives and officials have not spoken up on the matter of preventing import of BTS goods, it has been confirmed that there is indeed some form of block going on.
On Weibo, photos of BTS goods being stacked up in the warehouse, unable to be delivered, were circulated.
As at that time Chinese delivery service companies had not given an official statement, Chinese netizens were criticized for rumor-mongering. Chinese netizens themselves were also in doubt, and had claimed that this was simply a rumor spread in Korea against the Chinese to ruin their reputation.
However, later on, JTBC News confirmed with a local Korean overseas parcel dispatch service that they were and still are not able to send BTS related goods to China.
Checking with Chinese delivery services, it was confirmed that they had stopped receiving shipments for BTS related goods. The Korean parcel service claims that parcels are checked at the borders by Chinese postal crew, who refuse entry to such parcels.
The refusal of BTS goods is related to China’s import law number 161, under the 4th clause. Goods that slander or place China at a disadvantage are prohibited from import, as are goods that may cause disorder and rife between Chinese people. BTS goods now fall under that category.
What is alarming is that other K-Pop celebrity goods may be affected as well if the situation continues.
Currently, Chinese officials have yet to speak up about import regulations on the matter of BTS goods and products.