Korea Customs Service uncovers 546.8 billion won in quota tariff abuses

The Korea Customs Service has uncovered approximately 546.8 billion won in violations related to the abuse of the quota tariff system. A special investigation conducted between February and August revealed various illegal activities, including the unfair acquisition of quota volumes, manipulation of import prices, violations of foreign exchange transaction laws, and the intentional delay of goods removal to facilitate long-term stockpiling.

Specific enforcement actions included identifying companies that used third-party names to secure sugar quotas and others that over-reported import prices for bananas to evade corporate taxes. In one instance, an investigation into bonded warehouse inventory revealed companies falsely reporting that imported sugar had been distributed to the market while actually stockpiling 292 tons of the product.

While the government provided approximately 830.5 billion won in quota tariff benefits to stabilize prices, assessments of the actual impact on consumer costs remain limited. A recent inspection of 58 locations showed price reductions in certain items, such as a 4% drop for bananas and a 20% drop for mangoes at large supermarkets. However, experts note that the lack of a continuous tracking system makes it difficult to verify if these benefits reach all distribution channels, including traditional markets and online retailers, or if they are absorbed by distribution margins.