Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
If you have to take more than your airline baggage allowance, you'll need to enlist some
shipping help. Those with just a few boxes to send may want to consider doing the packing
themselves and shipping them by standard post, which is by far the cheapest option. For
large shipments, expatriates-to-be usually engage the services of an international relocation
specialist such as Allied Pickfords, Santa Fe, or Asian Tigers, who will usually assist with
the packing and unpacking and handle all the customs paperwork.
Prices vary—be sure to get a few quotes—but a door-to-door sea freight shipment from
North America of a dozen or so boxes and three or four pieces of furniture, enough to fill
a standard South Korean apartment, should cost around US$5,000 and take about a month.
Prices for air freight are astronomical, but it's obviously a lot faster. It's theoretically pos-
sible to save some money by using a smaller company or doing the packing yourself, but
this carries more risk, especially in terms of customs frustrations.
Customs procedures can be complex, time-consuming, and change regularly, so try to make
sure you're getting some help from your employer or a savvy local agent. Foreign nation-
als working in South Korea are permitted to bring a reasonable amount of household goods
duty free; how much constitutes a reasonable amount is generally left to the discretion of
customs officers. Obviously used goods are unlikely to attract much attention, but new “lux-
ury” items such as golf clubs or expensive cameras may be questioned or subject to tax.
To qualify for this duty-free exemption, expatriates have to provide customs with copies of
their passports, a statement from their employer verifying their status, bills of lading, and
full packing lists.
Your shipment will be inspected by customs on arrival and then cleared for release,
which usually takes just a few days but can take much longer if something seems out of
order.
