Korean Job Discussion Forums

[SteveSteve]

All of my packages, whether sent from my parents or friends back in the States or items bought online, are always delayed for clearance at customs. It doesn't matter if it's FedEx or UPS, I always get an email or a phone call from somebody at the clearance office and each time I have to provide them with my passport number and sometimes even my ARC number, too.

It doesn't matter what the declared items are, too. It always happens. I asked some ex-pat friends about it, and they have never had to call and give their passport numbers to customs in order to get their packages. A few times I experimented with the shipping label and had the name of the recipient (my name) changed to my girlfriend's name (also American) and a Korean friend's name. For those two packages, there were no delays, despite being delivered to my usual address.

Why?! Is there some "list" out there? Has this ever happened to you?

[BigBuds]

I've lived here over 9 years and it's never happened to me once.

[walterkim18]

Yea I've had books sent to me from the U.S., through varying shipping companies. I'm a U.S. citizen and they have called me on a few occassions asking for my passport number. Annoying the first time, but not really a big deal. I'm sure it's just some basic security procedure.

[dharma bum]

in my experience, it depends on the company shipping it. ups seems to always do it - as does fedex - while dhl and usps don't. did you use a different shipping service when having those two packages delivered to you under different names? ever had any issues (aside from this) with customs in the past that might make you think you ended up on a list somehow? my first guess is that it's the shipping services you're using that are the problem and that your friends have just used different services from you, but who knows...

[SteveSteve]

@Dharma Bums (By the way, like your screen name. Kerouac lives!)

For those two packages that were not screened, I used the same shipping service: FedEx. Even with the same service under different names, my items went through with no problems.

I don't know what my friends used, it's just kind of annoying because my packages are always delayed by one or two days because of this process. And I just hate the idea of my name on a database linked to my passport and ARC with a list of all the packages I received.

[Caffeinated]

I've had packages delayed because the declared value plus shipping put it over the 150,000 won limit and they either wanted payment of the import duty beforehand or confirmation that I had recently left Korea and this was simply forwarded baggage. In the latter case I was asked for my passport info and the relevant pages with the immigration stamps.

I've been told by shipping companies that customs officers are generally more lenient on Fedex packages versus USPS/UPS.

[Ruthdes]

How about sending your family (or whoever's sending you stuff) and email with your name and address in Korean, that they can print out and stick on? My friend's Korean American mum would send her stuff with the address in Korean and in English and it would never get fiddled with by customs. It may not work, but it's worth a try. For the record, I've never had a phone call from customs, but once or twice, my stuff has been opened. I've also never tried this Korean address trick myself either.

[IncheonTOEFL]

Weird stuff. Sounds like you are flagged.

I get one or two packages/ month via Fed-Ex, UPS or US Airmail, and sometimes just USPS shipping (freight). I've never had a call.

[Xuanzang]