Korean Job Discussion Forums

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Somebody once told me that when you mail gifts home from Korea you cannot wrap them or customs will tear them apart. Is this true?

[Octavius Hite]

Yes it is true, I sent my collection of shot glasses through the mail (I know stupid but it was an emergency) they were just wrapped in bubble wrap and the dough-heads at customs took them out and then just threw them back into box. All of them were destroyed. Send nothing wrapped or breakable.

[Links]

*beep*, that's not good. I actually bought shot glasses for a buddy. If they are in the box that the set came in - but it is not sealed - will customs still bust them up?

[peppermint]

I've gift wrapped every package I've sent home in the last three years without a hitch- maybe I'm just lucky though

[vdowd]

Just a suggestion,

Send them to a trusted person and ask them to gift wrap them and disperse them. Example: You have 4 presents to go to Vancouver, Canada. Send 3 to Aunt Amy and ask her to wrap them and send them on (hand deliver if family or mail locally for friends). Then send Aunt Amy's gift to Cousin Sue in Vancouver and ask her to do the same.

Of course send some money if they are mailing them to cover the expenses. Especially if Aunt Amy is retired with lots of time but on a limited budget.

This would not avoid the problem of breakables being unwrapped by cutoms but would avoid the gift wrap curiousity.

Hope this helps.

Not home for Christmas Either

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[tzechuk]

I send everything via registered post - i do not trsur the korean post one iota... with registered mail, you are protected against loss and damage and customs are likely to treat it better as thee are records of who handled what.

[canuck in Ansan]

I also recently sent a bunch of wrapped gifts home. As far as I know there were no problems. The package made it withing 10 days, and no mention of anything unwrapped.
Then again, my mom probably wouldn't tell me if anything was unwrapped, so that I just keep thinking she's going to get a surprise as xmas!

[peppermint]

[neandergirl]

I've sent presents wrapped with no big problems (one appeared to have been opened but had been taped up so no big worries)

I've not had the same luck with breakables - sent a teaset to MiL it arrived as a jigsaw puzzle. Same with a set of tea lights for SiL.

I regularly (about twice a month) get packages from home - these are often opened, poked at and so on before I get them. All the gift-wrapped stuff gets opened but it mostly gets through - only had 4 packages go walkabout so I'm happy. And I hope customs/whomever enjoyed the chocolate ginger and the hummous mix.

[Free World]

I sent a package home today. The presents were wrapped and I sent it express and registered. I will let you know if it makes it to Canada in the same condition.

I sent some soju but on the customs declaration I just said "Christmas presents". Think that will cause any problems?

PS. I got a couple bars of soap for sending the package express.

[Demonicat]

tip on the recieving: Have it sent to your work address. Customs RARELY bothers much with buisness shipments. I've had some things shipped that ARE illegal (well, grey) in Korea shipped with not even a flinch.

[neandergirl]

Business addie is the one I use as the mailboxes at the apt are small and open to everyone. Doesn't stop my stuff form being opened, but like I say most everything gets through after they take squiz.

[justagirl]

Well, things may have changed, but I always wrapped up every gift and even the box I sent everything in and shipped them ground mail to the U.S. Never had one problem at all. I think one key is LOTS of tape. I literally coated the entire box (which was wrapped in Chrismas paper) with 1-2 layers of tape. Did that for 4 years in a row.

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Package: sent
Gifts: unwraped
Postage: registered
Awaiting confirmation of arrival