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Table of Contents
▼When traveling to South Korea you must declare any restricted or prohibited items at customs. To do this, you will need to complete a South Korea Customs Declaration form.
This Korea traveler declaration can be completed on paper or via an App.
Who Needs to Fill In a Korean Customs Declaration Form?
You will only need to complete the Customs Declaration Form for South Korea if you are bringing certain items into the country.
According to Korea’s customs restrictions, you must complete the declaration form and present to a customs officer on arrival if you are carrying:
- Any item that must be declared by law
- Items that exceed the duty-free limit
- Cash in a foreign currency over the value of USD $10,000
- Products with a value greater than US$800
Previously, all passengers were required to fill in a Korean Customs Declaration Form, regardless of whether they had anything to declare. However, this is no longer the case.
From May 1, 2023, if you have nothing to declare, you can simply walk through the “Nothing to Declare” route through customs, without having to fill in any forms.
Korea Traveler Declaration Form Process
If you have items to declare, you need to fill out a form. This can be done in 2 ways:
- Paper form on arrival
- On an app on your mobile device
To comply with South Korea customs regulations, you must provide the following information:
- Your personal details: name, date of birth, contact number, and passport number
- Number of family members you are traveling with
- Flight/vessel details
- Length of stay in Korea
- Accommodation address
- Details of the item(s) you need to declare
Simply write your details in the fields provided on the form or tick the boxes, where appropriate.
South Korea Import Restrictions
South Korean customs regulations stipulate that you need to declare certain items. You will need special permission to bring some of these items into the country.
The following items are restricted in South Korea and must be declared at customs:
- Firearms: including replicas and toys
- Precious metals: gold jewelry used daily is not included
- Narcotics: illegal drugs including marijuana or cannabis, cocaine, opium etc.
- Animals and plants: protected by the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and their products
- Marine animals and plants: subject to the Fisheries Act and the Rules on Migration and Approval of Marine Animals and Plants
- Toxic goods: that may threaten the quality of water resources and the growth of saplings for culturing
Taking money into South Korea
You can bring Korean won and/or foreign currency worth up to $10,000 USD into South Korea. This includes traveler's checks.
You must declare any means of payment with a value of over $10,000 USD by filling out the Korean Customs Declaration.
What Can You Not Bring into South Korea?
When dealing with South Korea customs, there are a number of prohibited items. These include:
- Sexually inappropriate materials
- Forged/falsified/counterfeit currency or bonds
- Books, photos, videotapes, film, etc. that violate the state constitution, public security, and social customs
If you are found carrying prohibited items into South Korea, the forbidden items are highly likely to be confiscated. You may also have to face legal consequences.
What Foods Can You Bring into South Korea?
When arriving at South Korean customs, there are also some food restrictions you should be aware of.
South Korean customs food restrictions mean that the following food items must be declared on arrival or departure:
- Meat and poultry items: beef, pork, lamb, chicken, etc.
- Processed meat products: ham, sausage, bacon, beef jerky, marinated beef, canned meats, etc.
- Egg products: whole eggs, egg whites, powdered eggs, etc.
- Dairy products: milk, cheese, butter, etc.
- Plant items: fruits and vegetables, nuts, medicinal herbs etc.
Animal products from approved export countries are required to go through the quarantine process as well.
How much alcohol can you bring into South Korea?
According to South Korea import regulations, travelers aged 19 and over can import 1 liter (one bottle) of alcoholic beverage into the country up to a value of USD 400.
Quantities over this amount will be subject to import duties.
South Korea Taxes and Tariffs on Imports
Passengers arriving in South Korea have the following duty-free allowances:
- 60 milliliters of perfume
- Gifts and goods for personal use up to a value of USD 600
- 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 20 milligrams of E-cigarettes or 250g tobacco products (passengers aged 19 and over)
- 1 liter (one bottle) of alcoholic beverages (passengers aged 19 and over)
Other items will be subject to import tax.
South Korea has a flat 10% Value Added Tax on all imports. Certain luxury items and consumer goods are subject to a special 10 to 20% excise tax.
The Korean tariffs and taxes must be paid in Korean Won in the 15 days after the goods clear customs.
