Korean Job Discussion Forums

[TobyWhite]

Hey all,
I've has a few things shipped to me here from Amazon, etc. and I get charged out the wazoo with customs fees. Does anyone elese have this problem? Is it because I'm shipping to my Hogwon? Is there any way to avoid it? Thanks!

[thinker]

i almost got screwed with 60,000 duty on these cameras from ebay, cause it went through UPS(really dislike their service), but if you've been in korea for 6 months-1 year you can avoid the duty by sending along your passport, alien, and contract info to customs~it was a hassle but that's what i did. if it's over $40US(50?) then you'll get duty, so if you get stuff sent from people you know get em' to right less than $40US as the value~

[shaun k]

i called customs directly a few months ago, and they said that anything under 100,000won was duty free. they also said that this was not strictly enforced. i have had many things shipped to me from around the world, and have never paid a duty. if you buy things from ebay, ask the seller first if he/she will put a value of under 100, and mark the package as a gift. my packages from amazon have never been tagged.

[Derrek]

My parents sent me a box of stuff from the post office, which included a nice used camera. It was insured for $300. I don't know, maybe I got lucky and the customs people didn't care. They never opened it. No customs fee. Came from the USA to Korea and sent slow boat. Took nearly 3 months!!! Anyway, my coworker from Canada has stuff sent by plane from Canada, and most all of those get opened and checked.

[Bulsajo]

[rudyflyer]

I had a $200+ order from amazon shipped here last year with no problems, never heard of the 100,000 won thing

my big problem is new clothes. I've had stuff from Lands End etc sent and every time its been hit with duties no matter how much. What I do is have things shipped to the folks have them unwrap everything and resend it marking it used