*A Flyer

Hi, I will be travelling with a companion from SEA to SYD with a 3 day stopover at ICN. I am hoping to carry up to my Australian duty free allowance of 2.25L per person in beer (decent craft stuff) that I can't get back at home. My research has indicated that Korea will only allow 1L per person.

The Korea Customs site is confusing to say the least so I thought I would try and get some advice from the frequent travellers here. 1, is Korean Customs (unlike their Western counterparts) likely to want to charge duty on the excess amount? 2, what would that duty amount be? 3, Is there some sort of bonding facility where it could be stored to avoid the duty?

In countries like Korea (as with Singapore, Japan, China) I am loathe to risk chancing the green channel with excess amounts.

Thanks for your advice.

TPJ

Hi,

Normally I fly SYD-SEL-FRA with an overnight stopover in SEL. I never had any problem with Korean customs (and I always have 2-3 bottles of Australian wine purchased at SYD duty free). In fact I do not recall being asked any questions by Customs officials at airports like SEL, KIX, HKG, SIN.

*A Flyer

Thanks for the quick reply TPJ. So, I take it that you fill out your customs declaration saying that you have exceeded the limit and then they don't care? Do you still have to go through the red channel? If they don't care then we will try taking the larger allowance.

TPJ

There is a Korean Immigration form to be filled out for sure, but I am not sure if there is a form for Korean Customs. I am 100% sure there is no Customs form for neither SIN nor HKG... For SEL I am 95% sure, there isn't any...

DownUnderFlyer

But of course there is a red and a green channel.

A_Lee

There is both a customs form and an immigration form. The customs form is to be filled out by everyone (one per family), and the immigration form by those who are not residents of Korea. There are both red and green channels and you are supposed to use the red channel if you have anything to declare.

I've gone for years of traveling regularly without ever having been stopped for a customs inspection, but then several months ago I was asked to x-ray my bag, then again a few weeks ago. So don't count on being able to go through the green channel without an inspection. There's probably at least a 95% chance you won't get inspected, but why chance it.

As to paying tax on an amount above the duty-free limit, I have no idea as I've never tried it.

NYCWahoo

I've been going through ICN for close to 100 times last 3 years and I've noticed like many of the Customs around the world ICN also do some "race profiling." Korean Customs will be very suspicious of the pax arriving from China and many domestic Koreans--on the other hand I've noticed they rarely stop Caucasians buisiness travlers.

edta450

You can opt your beer (or anything over the duty-free limit) not to pass customs but let it be kept at ICN, which can be picked up when you leave Korea. It says you should pay a small 'security fee'. Can't find an English website..

edta450

fumitani

I've gone through ICN 5 times.

I have been stopped all 5 times for scanning my carryon baggage (was on transit and want stamps on my passport)....I wouldn't count on it...