🇰🇷 South Korea— Cash & Currency
Korea Customs Service (KCS)
2026-04-25
Declaration Threshold
US$10,000
KRW
You must declare to customs if you are carrying cash, traveler's cheques, money orders, or negotiable bearer instruments totaling above this amount when entering or leaving South Korea.
What Must Be Declared
| Instrument | Declaration Required |
|---|---|
| Physical currency (any currency) | Yes, if above threshold |
| Traveler's cheques | Yes, if above threshold |
| Bank drafts / money orders | Yes, if above threshold |
| Bearer bonds / negotiable instruments | Yes, if above threshold |
| Credit cards / debit cards | Generally no |
| Electronic payment apps | Generally no |
Failure to declare
Carrying undeclared cash above the threshold can result in seizure of funds, fines, and in some jurisdictions criminal prosecution. When in doubt, declare.
Additional Country Notes
- 01Korea has a Customs Declaration Assistance System for travelers.
- 02VAT (Value Added Tax) is 10%.
- 03Korea-EU FTA, KORUS (US-Korea) FTA, and RCEP provide preferential rates for qualifying goods.
- 04Electronics must bear KC Mark (Korea Certification) for sale in Korea.
- 05MFDS (Ministry of Food and Drug Safety) oversees food, drugs, and cosmetics imports.
- 06Customs clearance is primarily handled through UNI-PASS (Korea Customs Service e-clearance portal).
- 07Customs Declaration Assistance System: KCS provides a multi-language traveler help service at ICN/GMP/PUS/CJU before joining the Red Channel; a smartphone-app option is also available.
- 08VAT: standard rate is 10% on imports; some preferentially-treated goods (basic food, books) are zero-rated.
- 09FTA preference: KORUS (US-Korea), Korea-EU FTA, Korea-China FTA, Korea-UK FTA, RCEP, and the new CPTPP application all provide preferential duty for qualifying originating goods; certificate of origin required for each.
- 10KC Mark: electronics must bear the KC (Korea Certification) mark to be commercially sold in Korea; personal-import single-unit travelers do not need the KC mark.
- 11MFDS oversight: the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety regulates food, drugs, cosmetics, and medical devices imports; the K-Drug portal handles personal-import permits for controlled medications.
- 12Cash declaration: KRW or foreign currency above USD 10,000-equivalent must be declared to KCS on arrival or departure; undeclared amounts subject to seizure plus fine.
- 13UNI-PASS: KCS's primary e-clearance platform; commercial importers must register before first shipment.
VERIFIED · 2026-04-25Korea Customs Service (KCS)official site →Duty-free allowances for South Korea→