| Travelers enter Korea at Incheon International Airport Terminal 1, Tuesday. Yonhap Travelers enter South Korea through Terminal 1 at Incheon International Airport on Tuesday. Union |
By Yi Whan-woo
Korea will no longer require international arrivals ― both Korean and foreign nationals ― to fill out customs forms starting in May if they are not carrying dutiable goods, the Korea Customs Service (KCS) said Thursday.
South Korea will no longer require foreign entrants, including South Koreans and foreigners, to fill out a customs declaration form (belongings belongings declaration form) if they are not carrying customs-duty items, the Korea Customs Service announced on Thursday.
The customs agency said the plan was initially scheduled to be implemented in July but will be brought forward by two months in line with the government’s strategy to spur domestic spending.
The Korea Customs Service said the plan was originally scheduled to go into effect in July, but was pushed forward two months in line with the government’s strategy to boost domestic consumption.
Announced on Wednesday, the strategy is aimed at increasing the number of international tourists, aiming to hit 10 million this year, and boosting consumption weakened by persistently high inflation.
The strategy, announced on Wednesday, aims to boost the number of foreign tourists, with a target of 10 million this year, and boost consumption weakened by persistently high inflation.
With eased restrictions on international travel, the government wants foreign travelers to come and spend money here in a bid to revitalize the ailing economy without causing further price increases.
As restrictions on overseas travel are eased, the government wants foreign travelers to come and spend money in Korea to revitalize the stagnant economy without further price hikes.
Under the circumstances, filling out a mandatory customs declaration form on arrival was considered an obstacle for tourists, which if removed could boost tourism, the KCS explained.
Under these circumstances, the Korea Customs Service said that filling out the mandatory customs declaration form upon entry is considered an obstacle for tourists, and eliminating it will help boost tourism.
It noted that 98.8 percent of the total 43.56 million international arrivals in 2019, including 16.55 foreign nationals, reported that they had no dutiable goods to declare.
The Korea Customs Service said that in 2019, 98.8 percent of the total 43.56 million foreign entrants, including 16.65 million foreigners, had no items subject to declaration.
In particular, 99.93 percent of the foreign nationals reported having nothing to declare.
In particular, 99.93 percent of foreigners said that they did not have any items subject to declaration.
“Correspondingly we have been recommended to scrap the current customs declaration policy for the convenience of international visitors,” the KCS said, adding the United States and multiple EU member countries have been asking international arrivals to fill out customs forms only when they have dutiable goods.
“Therefore, for the convenience of international visitors, the Customs Service has been advised to scrap the current customs declaration policy,” it added, adding that the United States and a number of EU member states had been requiring international passengers to fill out a customs declaration form only if there were items to be declared. .
“We will make sure that foreign travelers can enter the country as conveniently as possible while being strict on any attempts to bring in illegal goods or evade tax,” the KCS said.
The Korea Customs Service said, “We will make it as convenient as possible for foreign travelers to enter the country while strictly restricting attempts to bring in illegal goods or evade taxes.”
Those who have dutiable goods meanwhile will need to fill out a customs declaration form on paper or via mobile phone.
Those in possession of the declared goods must fill out a customs declaration form on paper or by mobile phone.
March 31 page 4 article
KEY WORDS
■ dutiable to ask customs duties
■ spur promote, activate
■ ailing depressed, sluggish
■ scrap scrap
■ fill out ~ to fill in, fill in
■ declaration
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