Korean Job Discussion Forums

keseki · Joined: 22 Mar 2007

does anyone have any experience shipping their computer to korea?

im in canada and have invested quite a bit of money into my mac pro. i will be arriving in korea at the end of this week.

i dont want to sell my computer and then have to buy another one in korea. my bro works for purolator (canadian shipping company) and gets a 75% DC on shipping. so....i have decided to ship my computer to korea.

now, i've read that there's a hefty import tax on electronics. how can i ship this sucker and avoid delays/fees at korean customs?

this is my personal machine that i've had for like 4 months already, so its not a new purchase that im shipping...bah.

anyway, any ideas?? please...

gruegoo · Joined: 15 Mar 2007 Location: Toronto

keseki · Joined: 22 Mar 2007

i did that last year with my 20" imac. packed 'er in my luggage...but yea, the mac pro is far too big/heavy for that.

seoulman1 · Joined: 02 Feb 2007 Location: Jamsil

make sure you put some support struts in the machine. Mabey the ones that first came with it.

kat2 · Joined: 25 Oct 2005 Location: Busan, South Korea

Why not just carry it on? Personally, I wouldn't risk shipping it and having it lost or have to pay a ton of duty tax on it. Ship some of your other stuff with your bro's company and carry the computer on the airplane. I just carried a desktop tower from teh States in January. No one blinked an eye.

Poemer · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Location: Mullae

If it's not new you shouldn't have to pay any import duty, or at least not much. Check to see how much it would be. The shipper should be able to tell you what you can expect to pay, if anything.

keseki · Joined: 22 Mar 2007

^ its not new...but how do the customs guys know that?

oskinny1 · Joined: 10 Nov 2006 Location: Right behind you!

I talked to someone at a shipping company (can't remember the name) and they said you had to show the computer to the shipping agent to prove that it was used.
Why don't you ask your brother though? I am sure if he doesn't know someone in his company will (and if they don't, don't ship with them!)

zeeseong · Joined: 23 Mar 2007

if it looks like USED computer, usually custom guys don't argue about that.
and it should be look cheap one, if you don't want to pay when it is detected.
make sure that there isn't any new brand logo.
I want to emphasize the word 'usually'. good luck Smile

i think that's why we need FTA...

Captain Corea · Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Location: Seoul

I shipped my Dell over here 5 years ago... customs never bothered me about it.

Poemer · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Location: Mullae

keseki,

If they pull your package to have a look inside they will check to see if it "looks" new (ie, is factory packaged, etc.) If they have any doubts they will hold it. You'll get a letter at the shipping address saying they have it (you'll need a Korean speaker to help you out) They will ask you if it's new or not and then tell you the amount of duty you need to wire to an account so they can release your package.

I shipped a new computer that I bought from the US while over here, so I can't tell you exactly what they will want in the way of "proof" that your computer isn't new. I think they just eyeball it, so don't dust it before you pack it, haha.

A side note, I carried my old laptop with me from the US when I came to Korea and they didn't bother me about it.

keseki · Joined: 22 Mar 2007

thanks for the responses guys...my nerves feel a bit more eased now.

Cedar · Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 8:35 pm Post subject:

My dad shipped me a reconditioned but otherwise used Nikon a year ago, I had to pay MAJOR import duties (over 20% of the value, can't remember exactly).

Do NOT ship it and think you won't have to pay. My dad sent it from his home address to mine, the labels were very clear that it was used... but I even had to pay more because it was FILM than if it had been DIGITAL (except then I lied and said it wasn't a film camera...).

So... some people might have lucked out, but using your factory foam packaging (the safest way to go of course) you'll be paying once it arrives.

paintman321 · Joined: 14 Mar 2007

I got my parents to ship my laptop here from Canada. It was an older laptop so I told them to mark the value of it at $250. They put insurance on it shipping it here. I only had to pay 30,000 won for the duty. My parents paid an arm and a leg for shipping though.

moredhel_1 · Joined: 20 Feb 2006

It appears to me that no one's really answered the question fully, however, and I too am wondering about the exact same question. And even more, what's worse for me (in my mind) is that I keep really good care of my equipment, so it looks brand new. What's more, it's very expensive (around $2k), and I'll be shipping the case and monitor in their original boxes.

I purchased all parts off of Newegg dot com, so what I was planning on doing was contacting UPS/FedEx/DHL for shipping rates, and then asking if I need to include all manner of printouts or receipts from Nwegg to prove that it's more than a year old, and that I already paid for it, etc., i.e., it's not a "new pc".

Does anyone have any contacts for the customs dept. that I might be able to confirm this? Or did anyone do anything similar to this effect? Please let us know here on the forum - thanks!