Korean Job Discussion Forums

[rok_the-boat]

Every now and again I order stuff from overseas - parts for my bike - and pay the necessary taxes etc. Thing is, since I started doing this, every and any parcel I get is ripped open and often delivered in ripped-open state. Even stuff sent by courier (books/ magazines / papers etc). Sometimes, the stuff practically falls out as the postman delivers it. This is pathetic service - what can I do about it? Anyone else get the same crappy tratment?

[the eye]

i've had bottles of spice sent over, and became aware that those customs buggers emptied the contents of each jar. there were flakes all over the inside of my box and they replaced 2 spices back to the wrong jars.

i've also had instant pudding boxes openned and 'examined'.

it's korea, i doubt there is anything that can be done about it short of sending them some kind of 'stinky' present and hope they open it for examination.

[marlow]

Wow, I've never had a single package noticably opened. I've received numerous packages during my three and a half years here.

My parents always seal them up well, with a taped box, and taped packing paper on top of this. Maybe customs is too lazy to open them. If they do open them, they do a darn good job at packing them up again.

[rok_the-boat]

I think that because I ordered some stuff that needed tax paying on it, they have recorded my name somewhere and now open everything I get.

If only they would re-package it properly ... lazy buggers.

[peemil]

Yeah... I got a package for Christmas. You know junk food and the like from home. The -beepers- opened up packets of chips that were for Xmas day.

I wasn't a happy Peemil.

[JongnoGuru]

Many times, rok-the-boat, many times. For some reason, though, they tend not to fiddle with parcels addressed to my company, though ones sent to me personally get the treatment. (For a while, these were the same street addresses.) We have home, business and post office box addresses. Home-addressed parcels get abused most regularly, post office box less so, business not a once.

In... oh, about 1995 my parents sent me two rounds of cheese and a sweater for Christmas. The cheeses were aged 3 months and 6 months. By the time they arrived in late February, they were aged 6 months and 9 months, respectively, and the sweater smelt of cheese because the postmen had bored holes through the wax to inspect for contraband... or to obtain a few core samples for those wine & cheese parties that low-paid Korean civil servants are so famous for hosting.

[Koreabound2004]

This happened to my bf with the first package we had sent here. His family sent him dried sausage...not something you would think would normally be allowed in, but it was allowed in to Hong Kong when he worked there...so.....they tried again!

We get a notice, all in Korean, delivered by courier. We figure out that it is from quarantine services....about one week later we get the package, which had been inspected, and repacked, it arrived sans meat of course.

His family was pissed since they sent about 3 pounds of it, and that ain't cheap to ship either.....

I asked my coteacher to translate the letter, and he said they disposed of it, because it was tested and found to be "grilled beef." I don't think I would have wanted it after whatever tests they conducted anyways, but........

Grrrrrrrrrrrrr.........and then my coteacher said he had to call in our passport numbers and say that we agreed to its disposal. Even though we didn't agree!!!!!!

And every package since, has been opened and repackaged, although very well done. We can tell because it has blue Korean post tape all over the box.

Our latest package was sent by air about a month ago from Canada, and has yet to arrive...some chocolate and cards!

Such a piss off.

And our last gripe is...came back from vacay, note on door from postman...we figured an expected package had arrived. Go to the post office to get it, and they say they took it to my school....30 min walk away from there. Why don't they just hold stuff there like normal posties???

[Derrek]

Had my Christmas package opened a year ago. Someone opened all of the party mix and dumped it in the box.


They also chewed several pieces of gum. This is no joke.

[Squid]

Yes, a parcel of winter duds arrived torn to bits... thought it was a dog

Thanks for the enlightenment

[tzechuk]

Since my first experience of packages being opened, I get everyone to send stuff to me registered or international recorded. That way, they can open the parcels, but they can neither take nor get rid of anything inside. My sister sent me an expensive face cream along with a few bits and pieces once - when i first came, so it was not registered - and the cream got taken out but the other things were inside. Couldn't accuse the post office of stealing because we had no proof of purchase, although I know they took it because it was resealed with tapes.

Now my sister uses EMS. Fast and perfectly secure!

[vlcupper]

I got a package from my (now ex) boyfriend from Syria, and it took a month. When I got the package it had been cut open and looked through. Doesn't bother me, though. Totally understandable considering it was from Syria. Stuff like that doesn't really bother me when you consider why they're doing it.

[dcrayne]

Actually, I ordered some vitamins and creatine over two weeks ago and I still haven't received them yet. The web site that i ordered from said delivery in 3-5 business days.

[mindmetoo]

I guess Koreans might be worried about pot being mailed to foreign teachers. I think some Canadian teacher in Japan got keel hauled a few months ago for having a friend mail her pot from home. Even Canada customs can be a pig. I mailed some posters from Seattle to my friend in Toronto and Canada Customs totally trashed the package looking for... ? I dunno. And then in Canada I mailed a bottle of ice win ($50 a ha' bottle). I knew it was illegal to mail but I gave it a shot. No dice. The package arrived at her place but sans ice wine. There was a note in the package about it being illegal to mail booze...

[Homer]

Immigration and customs routinely opens packages coming in from overseas.

Their country, their rules mate.

As for it being left ripped open, call customs or the postal service and complain. This might get results.

[Real Reality]

"As for it being left ripped open, call customs or the postal service and complain. This might get results."


Homer,
Please stop joking so much. Your sense of humor is great. What a great laugh.