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Shipping to South Korea from Thailand: duty, VAT and what gets through
Korea clears parcels from Thailand under USD 150 free of duty and tax, but every personal import needs the recipient's Personal Customs Clearance code. Without a PCC, parcels simply wait.
What are the tax thresholds in South Korea?
| Threshold | Rule |
|---|---|
| ThresholdImport duty | RuleUSD 150 |
| ThresholdVAT / GST de minimis | RuleUSD 150 |
| ThresholdVAT / GST rate | Rule10% |
| ThresholdTypical duty band | Rule0-8% typical under AKFTA/RCEP |
Official references
Thresholds above are summarised for shippers. Confirm edge cases with the destination authority:
How long does delivery to South Korea take?
| Carrier option | Indicative delivery band |
|---|---|
| Carrier optionExpress courier | Indicative delivery band2-4 days |
| Carrier optionEconomy air (postal) | Indicative delivery band6-12 days |
| Carrier optionEconomy sea (consolidated) | Indicative delivery band18-30 days |
What cannot be shipped to South Korea?
- Kratom and CBD products
- Certain foods without KFDA clearance
- Counterfeit goods
- Used electronics in commercial quantity
The full per-destination list lives on our restricted items policy and is enforced at our warehouse intake.
Worked example: what a real parcel costs
2 kg parcel of Thai streetwear, declared USD 130
| Cost line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Cost lineItem cost | AmountUSD 130.00 |
| Cost lineExpress shipping (2 kg) | AmountSee calculator |
| Cost lineDuty and VAT (under USD 150) | AmountUSD 0.00 |
| Cost lineIllustrative total | AmountUSD 174.00 |
Express shipping is a live business parcel-calculator rate in THB (business, 0.5 kg, 10x10x10 cm). Duty, VAT and other lines use illustrative local-currency maths; total is a guide only until you confirm on the calculator.
Same-day multiple parcels to one recipient are aggregated; two USD 130 parcels arriving together get taxed as one USD 260 import.
What happens if it is held at customs?
A Personal Customs Clearance code (PCC) is required for many personal imports into Korea. Provide it accurately when requested so the carrier can submit the declaration.
Claims process and Shipment ProtectionRelated operator pages
This page owns duty and VAT thresholds. Use the route page for freight bands, the express parcel calculator for package rates, and the FCL vs LCL volume tool for sea mode guidance.
Shipping to South Korea: questions we get asked
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