Duty-free Archives | Be Korea-savvy
Red Ginseng Leads Sales for Chinese, Japanese Tourists at Incheon Airport Duty-Free

Red Ginseng Leads Sales for Chinese, Japanese Tourists at Incheon Airport Duty-Free

SEOUL, Oct. 29 (Korea Bizwire) – Red ginseng products topped the list of most purchased items among Chinese and Japanese tourists at Incheon International Airport’s duty-free shops during the July-September period, Shinsegae Duty Free reported on October 28. According to the company’s analysis, the popularity of red ginseng reflects its status as a representative Korean health [...]

South Korean Duty-Free Shops Woo Domestic Customers Amid Sales Slump

South Korean Duty-Free Shops Woo Domestic Customers Amid Sales Slump

SEOUL, Aug. 19 (Korea Bizwire) – With South Korea’s major duty-free retailers struggling to overcome a prolonged sales slump, they are increasingly turning their attention to an often overlooked demographic: domestic customers. With the summer travel season in full swing, these shops are launching aggressive marketing campaigns, including lavish prize drawings, to capture the wallets of [...]

S. Korea Seeks to Raise Duty-free Allowance Limit for Alcohol

S. Korea Seeks to Raise Duty-free Allowance Limit for Alcohol

SEOUL, Feb. 13 (Korea Bizwire) — The customs agency said Tuesday it will push to raise the limit of the duty-free allowance for alcohol to boost travelers’ convenience. It is part of the Korea Customs Service (KCS)’s comprehensive plan for 2024, which also includes measures to strengthen the crackdown on drug smuggling and to better [...]

Shilla, Shinsegae, Hyundai Shortlisted for Incheon Airport Duty-free Licensing

Shilla, Shinsegae, Hyundai Shortlisted for Incheon Airport Duty-free Licensing

SEOUL, March 18 (Korea Bizwire) — Hotel Shilla, Shinsegae DF and Hyundai Department Store Duty Free were shortlisted for duty-free licensing at Incheon International Airport, the airport operator said Friday. Incheon International Airport Corp. announced the result of the first round of assessment of bids for the five duty-free zones at the nation’s main airport, [...]

Duty-free Sales Hit 6-month Low in July on Less Foreign Spending

Duty-free Sales Hit 6-month Low in July on Less Foreign Spending

SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Korea Bizwire) — Duty-free sales in South Korea sank nearly 15 percent to a six-month low in July due to decreased spending by foreigners, industry data showed Friday. Combined sales at duty-free shops in Asia’s fourth-largest economy stood at 1.25 trillion won (US$920 million)) in July, down 14.6 percent from a month [...]

S. Korea to Raise Traveler’s Duty-free Allowance Limit to US$800

S. Korea to Raise Traveler’s Duty-free Allowance Limit to US$800

SEOUL, Aug. 5 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea plans to raise the limit of the duty-free allowance for inbound travelers to US$800 per person from the current $600, the finance ministry said Friday. Currently, international arrivals — both Korean nationals and foreigners — can receive tax exemptions for the purchase of items worth up to [...]

Duty-free Sales Up for 2nd Month in June but Still Below Pre-pandemic Level

Duty-free Sales Up for 2nd Month in June but Still Below Pre-pandemic Level

SEOUL, July 27 (Korea Bizwire) — Duty-free sales rose for the second straight month in June, but their sales still remained half of pre-pandemic figures, industry data showed Monday. Combined sales at duty-free shops in South Korea reached 1.11 trillion won (US$923 million) in June, up 9.3 percent from a month earlier, according to the [...]

Duty-free Industry Eyes Third-party Foreign Transfer for Breakthrough

Duty-free Industry Eyes Third-party Foreign Transfer for Breakthrough

SEOUL, July 22 (Korea Bizwire) — With the ongoing spread of the coronavirus, the struggling duty-free industry is tapping into third-party foreign transfer for a sales breakthrough to address concerns that Chinese parallel traders may leave the South Korean market following recent measures by the Chinese government to bolster domestic duty-free businesses. The Korea Customs [...]

Duty-free Sales Rebound in May amid Virus Outbreak

Duty-free Sales Rebound in May amid Virus Outbreak

SEOUL, June 28 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean duty-free stores saw their sales rebound slightly in May after dipping below the 1 trillion-won (US$804 million) mark in April amid the new coronavirus pandemic, industry data showed Sunday. Combined sales of local duty-free shops rose 3 percent on-month to reach 1.02 trillion won, rebounding from 986.7 [...]