"I Want to Exchange My Duty-Free Item": Easier Exchanges Now Possible After Returning Home

If you are unhappy with the color or size of a duty-free item purchased while traveling abroad, you can now exchange it via mail or courier after returning to Korea without the need for separate customs declarations.

The Korea Customs Service announced that the revised "Notification on the Patent and Operation of Bonded Shops," which includes these changes, takes effect starting today, July 1.

Previously, exchanging duty-free goods within Korea involved cumbersome procedures.

Travelers had to declare the items as personal effects upon arrival, leave them in customs custody, and then pick up the exchanged items at the airport pickup area during their next departure.

As a result, travelers with no immediate plans to leave the country again had no choice but to give up on exchanges and settle for refunds.

However, with the implementation of this revised notification, items within the duty-free allowance of 800 dollars can now be exchanged via mail or courier, bypassing these previous steps.

Exchanges can also be made by visiting downtown duty-free shops.

Please note that exchanges are only permitted for the same Model in a different color or size.

Exchanging for a different Model that is cheaper is not allowed.

For items exceeding the duty-free allowance, domestic exchanges are only possible if the traveler declared the items as personal effects and paid the applicable taxes upon entry.

The revision also allows foreigners to easily purchase K-beauty and K-food products online and pick them up at downtown duty-free shops in Korea.

The Korea Customs Service assessed that this provides a foundation for small and medium-sized enterprises, which promote their products to foreigners primarily through online duty-free shops, to reduce the burden of opening physical stores and expand their sales channels.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.