Mask Overseas Direct Purchase Allowed... Import Procedures Eased Until End of June

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunbyeol Kim] Overseas direct purchase of masks is temporarily allowed until the end of June. This decision comes as the government has decided to ease import procedures due to the severe shortage of masks in Korea caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Until now, masks, classified as 'quasi-drugs,' required complicated declaration and approval documents upon import, making it practically impossible for individuals to purchase and import them through direct overseas purchase.

According to the Korea Customs Service and direct purchase agencies on the 8th, on the 4th, the Korea Customs Service sent the 'Customs Clearance Guidelines for Express Items such as Masks' containing these details to frontline customs offices and related companies. The validity period of these guidelines is until the end of June.

According to the guidelines, masks, hand sanitizers, and thermometers imported via mail or express (direct purchase) valued at $150 (or $200 if coming from the United States) or less have been newly designated as 'list clearance' items. List clearance items are import items allowed to be brought into the country without separate import declarations or requirements. Customs duties and value-added tax are also exempted, reducing the buyer's burden and significantly shortening the clearance time.

For masks, hand sanitizers, and thermometers exceeding $150 (or $200 if coming from the United States), the Korea Customs Service will proceed with customs clearance upon receiving a formal import declaration but will not require verification of essential documents such as medical certificates or exemption recommendation letters. This means that once the relevant customs duties are paid, the authorities will also expedite the clearance process.

A Korea Customs Service official explained, "Without considering existing import requirements, the document submission process is effectively waived, so individuals making direct purchases do not need to obtain documents like medical certificates one by one."

In the case of thermometers, which are medical devices under the Medical Device Act, import clearance could only be obtained after submitting a 'Standard Customs Clearance Pre-Report' to the Korea Medical Devices Industry Association detailing the purpose of importing such items.

Meanwhile, the Korea Customs Service plans to filter out cases where individuals import masks in bulk for commercial purposes through direct purchase. Regarding this, the express customs clearance department and investigation department at Incheon Airport are analyzing information to filter out direct purchases for commercial use rather than for personal use as much as possible. If the amount of direct purchase for such purposes is large, it may lead to prosecution.