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GOODS ACROSS BORDERS

ITEM RULE · TRAVELING

RESTRICTED

Tobacco Cigarettes 🇰🇷 South Korea

VERIFIED · 2026-04-25NOT YET GRADED

200 cigarettes duty-free for travelers over 19

ANSWER

Can I bring Tobacco Cigarettes into South Korea?

RESTRICTEDVERIFIED · 2026-04-25

200 cigarettes duty-free for travelers over 19

QUANTITY / LIMITS

200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g

DUTY / TAX

High excise on excess

DOCUMENTS

  • Korea Customs Service declaration for quantities above duty-free allowance

DECLARATION

Required at the destination customs authority

SOURCE

customs.go.kr
Verify against the official customs authority before acting on this answer.Report a correction

Full details

South Korea allows travelers aged 19 or over to bring 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, or 250 g of other tobacco duty-free. Quantities above the allowance are subject to customs duty, individual consumption tax, and education tax. Korea's overall tobacco taxation is among the highest in Asia. Travelers must declare excess quantities on arrival; undeclared excess is liable to seizure plus a customs penalty.

ENFORCEMENT

OccasionalEnforcement reported intermittently.

QUANTITY CHECK

cigarettes

Duty-free allowance per adult: alcohol up to 2 bottles (total max 2L, value up to USD $400), 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g tobacco (must be 19+), perfume up to 60ml, and general goods with total value not exceeding USD $800 (KRW equivalent). Alcohol and tobacco count separately from the USD $800 goods allowance.

PRACTICAL ADVICE

Declare quantities above the standard 200-cigarette / 50-cigar / 250g personal allowance to Korea Customs Service; bring the purchase receipt to compute excise + VAT. Keep duty-free purchases sealed in the original retailer bag for audit.

OFFICIAL SOURCES · VERIFIED 2026-04-25

RULE DETAILS

QUANTITY LIMITS

200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g

DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED

  • Korea Customs Service declaration for quantities above duty-free allowance

DUTY RATE

High excise on excess

LEGAL REFERENCE

Customs Act, Individual Consumption Tax Act

AIR TRAVEL IS SEPARATE

This page covers destination customs rules in South Korea. Whether you can carry tobacco cigarettes through security, in carry-on, or in checked baggage depends on airline and screening rules — see air travel rules.

Related rules

Tobacco Cigarettes rules in other countries

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