Korean Job Discussion Forums

[MollyBloom]

...because I can't find a damn thing that lists what we have to declare and what we don't have to. I tried searching on the www and on dave's, and the latter is too thick to weed out.

Can someone explain to me what I will have to go through, and what I should be cautious of?

Things I am curious about are:
1. candy, oatmeal, tea, herbs/spices, buff wing sauce, etc.
2. OTC meds and prescrip. meds like percocet and muscle relaxers

for these items, do I need to declare any or all of them?

Thanks!

[crazylemongirl]

Here's my strategy:

Look at the customs officer who seems the most uncomfortable with English speakers. Go up and smile sweetly. Declare EVERYTHING. They'll make a show and then shoe you away.

btw why bring over oatmeal? you can buy that here! Also might want to list your spices to see which ones you can buy over here as it saves valueable packing space!

[Lizara]

I don't think you have to declare any of that stuff. I'm no expert, though.

anyway, I've never declared anything coming into Korea (never had anything much to declare) and they never check me, or anyone else by the looks of it. Just hand over your paper with "Nothing to declare" and walk right through.

[Woland]

CLG is right that you should reconsider bringing a number of items that are available here, if only to save weight. Why carry things you don't need to?

Beyond that, don't get to worked about customs. If you are carrying the normal number of bags or weight (i.e., haven't paid for a third bag), look like a normal person, don't go wild on duty free (in short, if you don't wear a neon sign that says "PULL ME OVER"), customs by and large doesn't care what's in your bag. Don't declare it, collect your bags at the carousel and walk calmly through the green line. Do not hesitate or look lost.

In over twenty-five years of international travel, I have been stopped only twice, both times going out of the Sov by train, at Vyborg and Grodno. Both times I was hassled, but walked away without paying a bribe and without getting things confiscated (despite having items in violation of the law on the second occasion - Tsarist era postage stamps and a rare 1916 edition of Bely's Petersburg - which went unnoticed). I have never been stopped in an airport. I have often carried items in violation of various laws and limits, but not stupid stuff like illegal drugs, guns, live plants, raw meat, explosives, live animals, products from endangered species, etc. That stuff they really care about.

Customs is looking for big time drug smugglers, sneak thieves of national treasures, and (this is important) people who look like they might fit these gategories or are flying to or from places where people who fit these categories congregate. If you look like a tourist or another hogwanista and don't make a fuss, you'll walk fine.

If you are pulled over for a random search (an unlikely possibility), remain calm, be polite, plead ignorance and let them confiscate whatever they want. You'll be delayed, but you'll walk. The key is to be polite and cooperative (and not value anything in your bag so much that you'd want to see the inside of a Korean jail in addtition to losing it).

Good luck.

[Bibbitybop]

You should have a perscription for your meds, make sure the bottles have the original perscription on them with your name on it.

[dogshed]

[oldfatfarang]

I regularly bring packaged food/spices from Thailand to Korea. I just declare it on the customs form.
The young customs guy looks at the form, 'What food you have? (I ticked 'food'.) I just tell them "it's packaged food for PRESENTS FOR MY CO-WORKERS" and they waive me through.

In any airport in the world I always declare ALL my medication, have photocopies of prescriptions, and they usually wave you through when you say "it's medication for personal use". I'm sometimes carrying a years supply.

Todays hot Customs tip (anywhere in the world) is : dress very tidily - don't look like a backpacker. No problems.

[ajuma]

As long as you're not bringing fresh food (fruit, veggies or meat), I wouldn't stress. I've been in and out of Korea twice (at least!) a year for the past 7 years and have NEVER been stopped. I bring in a bunch of food (cake mixes, jello, spices, stove-top-stuffing and the like), meds (night and day cold meds and cough drops), and cleansers (Spray n Wash stain stick and BAM for cleaning calcium deposits) and have never declared a thing...and have never been stopped!

[jaganath69]

Honestly, if you can't work out a simple customs form, mebbe its time to stay at home.

[ttompatz]

[Octavius Hite]

Why are you declaring anything? I never do and just walk right past. My friend brought her cat and didnt declare it, just walked right through, lived with the cat in Seoul and flew back a year later not declaring it when she left.

Declaring things just gets you into a hassel. Last time I came back I had a moment of insanity and checked diarhea on the health form (an all rum and weed beach diet will do that to you, that and eating mystery meat) they stopped me and acted like I had SARS or something. NEVER AGAIN. Don't declare anything, if they stop you, act ignorant and pretend like you didn't know better. Remember they deal with ajummas all day they believe in honest ignorance cause the see it everyday. As long as you don't have any fresh veggies or a pound of Afghani gold, don't declare and you'll be ok.

[dimnd]

I had spices...canned hams..already cooked of course...puddings ..jellos...all my meds for six months in original containers of course..got to bring them through and today i went to TSA just to check with the guy standing there checking liquids and gels..he says just declare ur meds...plus I had a sheet from my doctor..not required just recommended...