Customs officers check packages from abroad at a customs office in Incheon, west of Seoul, on Dec. 4, 2017. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Nov. 6 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s customs service said Thursday that it will conduct ex post facto review for those who make overseas direct purchases in a repeated manner, as part of efforts to prevent them from importing goods without paying duties by pretending the items they purchase for resale purpose are intended for personal use.
The nation’s 20 most frequent users who imported overseas items for personal use without paying duties averaged 70.9 orders worth 6.1 million won (US$5,420) on a monthly basis during the January to August period of this year, according to the Korea Customs Service (KCS).
The number of overseas direct purchase transactions made by the most frequent user stood at 1,891 times during the period.
The KCS also plans to crack down on the special delivery service companies which falsely declare the list of items or import illegal goods.
Moreover, it intends to intensively inspect items imported from crime-ridden regions as a way to prevent any attempt to import illegal or harmful goods, particularly during the peak season for overseas direct purchases.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
