The Korean Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) has banned the manufacturing, import and distribution of 167 cold medicines. The move comes after a study found that the medicines contain a chemical substance, known as Phenylpropanolamine or PPA, which has been known to cause hemorrhagic stroke.

Following the government ban, pharmaceutical manufacturers are required to remove PPA-containing pills, syrups and tablets from store shelves, and recall all products already distributed nationwide.

Earlier in 2000, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration issued a public health advisory, calling for all drug companies to discontinue marketing products containing PPA.

Since then, the suspect medicines have all but disappeared in the U.S., even as Korean drug companies continued to churn out PPA-containing products under what critics call the lax policy of the Seoul government.

Public anger is rising over the government's belated action.