Suspension of Airmail Parcel Service to the United States. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Sept.11 (Korea Bizwire) — South Koreans with children studying in the United States are facing sticker shock after Washington eliminated duty-free exemptions on small parcels, a move that has sent shipping costs soaring and left families questioning whether to send packages at all.
Until last month, personal shipments valued under $800 were exempt from U.S. customs duties. But the Trump administration scrapped the rule effective August 29, citing concerns that the exemption was being exploited to evade tariffs or smuggle restricted goods. Now, even low-value packages are subject to import taxes, fees and duties, often exceeding the cost of the goods themselves.
On online forums for Korean parents of U.S. students, frustration has mounted. One parent wrote that sending cosmetics worth 1.02 million won (about $750) resulted in a customs bill of 1,600 dollars — more than twice the value of the items. Another said, “I shipped $100 worth of goods and ended up paying $600 in shipping, taxes and fees. It makes no sense.”
Confusion and Anger at Post Offices
South Korea’s postal service has directed customers to use EMS Premium, a courier service run with UPS, for all non-document parcels bound for the U.S. Major Seoul post offices now display notices warning that all shipments — regardless of value — are subject to duties. Yet many senders remain confused by inconsistent charges.
EMS Premium Label. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
“People are paying vastly different amounts for similar packages, from $15 to $75 in duties,” said one parent. “No one understands the standard.”
Social media has been filled with similar complaints. Some users urged others to buy goods locally in the U.S. rather than risk costly and unpredictable duties.
Sharp Drop in Mail to the U.S.
The Universal Postal Union, a United Nations agency, reported that since the exemption was removed, shipments to the U.S. have plunged 81 percent. Eighty-eight postal operators worldwide have either suspended or restricted deliveries to America pending clarification of customs procedures.
For Korean families, the fallout is personal. “I was going to send my son winter clothes and shoes to New York,” said one Seoul parent. “But with these new rules, I told him to just buy everything there. The costs are unbearable.”
The new regime underscores the ripple effects of Washington’s protectionist shift, leaving ordinary families abroad struggling with policies aimed at curbing trade abuses but which have instead reshaped the economics of everyday care packages.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
