Korea Reappointed as Member of the World Customs Organization Policy and Finance Committee

At the World Customs Organization (WCO) General Assembly, South Korea's reappointment as a member country of the Policy Commission and the Finance Committee was confirmed.

According to the Korea Customs Service on the 1st, South Korea was reappointed at the General Assembly (143rd and 144th sessions) held from May 27 to 29 last month in Brussels, Belgium, and will serve as a member country of the Policy Commission and the Finance Committee for two years until June 30, 2026.

The Policy Commission is the highest substantive decision-making body concerning the overall operation, activities, and policies of the WCO, regarded as the most central meeting body of the WCO. The Finance Committee is one of the key WCO bodies responsible for decisions on budget procurement, expenditure, and accounting audits.

South Korea has been reappointed to the Policy Commission since 2014 and to the Finance Committee since 2012. Among WCO member countries, only South Korea, the United States, Japan, and Saudi Arabia have continuously served on both the Policy Commission and the Finance Committee for more than 10 years.

So far, South Korea has cooperated for the shared growth of global customs administration as a member country of the Policy Commission and the Finance Committee by establishing standard guidelines for electronic certificates of origin (e-C/O), expanding the development of virtual reality (VR) import inspection program content, supporting the digitization of WCO’s Harmonized System classification decisions, and supporting capacity-building projects for developing countries through fellowship programs.

The government plans to continue enhancing its international status by leading international standards related to customs administration and contributing to revitalizing export companies through close cooperation with major trading countries, including WCO member countries.

Meanwhile, the General Assembly is the highest decision-making body of the WCO, where the top customs administration officials of WCO member countries participate, and it is held once a year in Belgium.

The WCO is an international organization that supports the establishment of international standards for trade facilitation through cooperation among customs authorities, promotes efficient and lawful trade, and fosters capacity building in developing countries. Currently, 186 countries participate as WCO members. South Korea joined the WCO in 1968.