CUSTOMS

IMPORT REGULATIONS

Free to Import

Tobacco (restricted to travellers 19 years and over)

One of the following:

• 200 cigarettes;
• 50 cigars; or
• 250 grams of tobacco.

Alcohol (restricted to travellers 19 years and over)

• 1 litre of alcohol.

Agricultural, forest, fishery, and livestock products (oriental medicine materials)

• 5 kg of sesame oil, sesame seeds, and honey.
• 1 kg of pine nuts.
• 10kg of beef.
• 300g of ginseng (undried, white, or red), and sanghwang mushroom.
• 150g of deer antlers.
• 3kg of other oriental medicine materials.
• 5kg of other agricultural, forest, fishery, and livestock products.
• The above goods must be worth less than ₩100,000, and they must pass quarantine inspection.

Currency

• Funds of US$10,000 or more must be declared at Customs.

Other Goods

• 60 mL of perfume.
• Duty-free purchases must not exceed US$600.
• Other personal items worth up to US$400.

Prohibited

The following are goods which cannot be brought into the country.

• Narcotics drugs.
• Weaponry such as guns (including simulated ones), swords, crossbows, bullets, chemicals, and poisonous or radioactive materials.
• Items which infringe upon intellectual property rights.
• Counterfeit money.
• Books, pictures, movies, and other media which may cause harm to the national constitution, public peace, and social customs.

Restricted

These goods are strictly regulated, and in most cases require a permit to be obtained prior to arrival.

• Agricultural, forest, livestock, fishery, and plant products.
• Animal and plant species and their derivative products as outlined by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) will require permissions from CITES. For more information see Confirmation of Required Conditions for Export and Import.
• All pets are subject to importation requirements, and some may be prohibited. For further information, please visit the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency Export/Import Quarantine & Inspection.

EXPORT REGULATIONS

Free to Export

• Duty-free shopping on departure must not exceed US$3000.

Prohibited

The following are goods which cannot be taken out of the country.

• All items on the prohibited to import list.

Restricted

These goods are strictly regulated, and in most cases require a permit to be obtained prior to departure.

• Luxury watches, cameras, jewellery, gems, fur, and A-level golf clubs.
• Foreign currency and Korean won exceeding the value of US$10,000 must be declared.
• High priced items that have been declared upon entry need to be declared upon exit.
• Articles specified by other laws and regulations, such as cultural assets.
• Gold which is not part of personal jewellery such as gold bars must be declared.

For further information, please visit the Korea Customs Service.