Human DNA, body and skin tissues were found in “human flesh” pills smuggled from China and illegally traded at local markets in Korea, health authorities said Tuesday.

The Korea Food and Drug Agency said the pills being sold at a local market in Seoul contained a mix of human organs and skin tissues. Body parts of animals like cows, pigs and horses were not found in the genetic analysis of the tablets, officials said. They did not detect medical substances like steroids or bacteria such as salmonella, they added.

“We found the pills to contain human body organs and skin tissues, but couldn’t reach a conclusion on whether they were made from male or female bodies, and infants or adults, due to lack of data for DNA sequencing,” said Lee Dong-hee, a KFDA official.

The pills, along with “human flesh” capsules, were made of powdered human corpses.

The powdered flesh, mostly coming from dead babies and fetuses, is believed by some to cure all kinds of illnesses, even cancer, and improve one’s stamina. A recent undercover TV program revealed the process of producing the capsules in which decomposed infants’ remains were first dried and then ground down into a coarse powder.

Previously, health authorities said the capsules were full of bacteria and could cause infection in people with a weaker immune system. Pills would have similar side effects, they added.

The human flesh pills are mostly traded in southwestern Seoul and factory areas in Ansan, Gyeonggi Provnce, where many Korean-Chinese immigrants are settled, according to officials. They speculate that the products may have entered the country via mail or travelers.

Inspectors at Korea Customs Service and the police have been stepping up their investigation into shipments of both human flesh pills and capsules from China. They are also looking into whether gangs are involved in distributing the products in Korea.

By Cho Chung-un (christory@heraldcorp.com)