Korea Customs Service to Strengthen Collection of 72 Trillion Won in Arrears... "Airport Inspection Rate to Increase 10-Fold"

The Korea Customs Service (KCS) is set to strengthen its management of over 70 trillion won in outstanding customs, national, and local taxes.
The KCS announced today (June 30) that starting from the 1st of next month, it will tighten inspections on imported goods belonging to individuals who habitually evade large amounts of customs, national, and local taxes.
The agency is expanding its inspection of personal effects of tax delinquents, which began at Incheon Airport last month, to include Gimpo, Gimhae, and Cheongju airports.
This measure is intended to prevent other airports from being exploited as loopholes.
The inspection rate for tax delinquents—the ratio of those subject to inspection compared to the total number of arrivals—will be increased to more than 10 times that of regular travelers.
Inspections will also be intensified for companions who may be attempting to bring in goods on behalf of the tax delinquents.
In May, the KCS inspected a national tax delinquent, identified as A, at Incheon Airport and seized 25.15 kg of silver grains worth 120 million won.
Another national tax delinquent, B, was found during a personal effects inspection to be carrying approximately 38 million won in cash, 7,000 U.S. dollars, and luxury items including a Chanel bag and a watch.

The KCS is entrusted by the National Tax Service and local governments with the forced collection of imported goods from high-amount, habitual tax delinquents.
The agency seizes personal effects or direct-purchase items, sells them, and remits the proceeds to tax offices or local governments.
The scale of tax arrears under the agency's management has grown from 45.3 trillion won owed by 57,000 people in 2023 to 70.2 trillion won owed by 101,000 people as of last month.
When adding 1.7 trillion won in customs arrears, the total amount of tax debt under the management of the KCS reaches 71.9 trillion won.
Oh Hyun-jin, Director of the Revenue Audit Division at the KCS, stated, "In the second half of the year, we plan to strengthen inspections on overseas direct purchases and moving goods belonging to tax delinquents." He added, "We will enhance cooperation with the National Tax Service and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, and actively realize tax justice by taking strict measures against high-amount, malicious delinquents who evade tax payments despite having the ability to pay."
(Photo: Courtesy of Korea Customs Service, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.