South Korea handles household shipments as moving goods, and the Korea Customs Service (KCS) publishes the conditions in English. The tests depend on how long you plan to stay, how long you used the goods abroad and how large the household is. O'Brien's Moving & Storage plans overseas moves through Bekins and partner international carriers; the points below come from the KCS page.
Who qualifies as a mover
KCS describes standard movers as foreigners or overseas Koreans who intend to live in Korea for at least 1 year, or 6 months if accompanied by family members. A separate short-term category covers foreigners who intend to stay at least 3 months but less than 6 months. Proof of the stay period is the alien registration card, the visa before the card is issued, or a domestic employment contract.
Duty treatment and the quantity table
For standard movers, goods used overseas for more than 3 months are duty-exempt unless they fall under mandatory taxation. KCS also applies quantity limits to furniture and household appliances, based on the number of family members; personal effects such as clothing are outside the table.
| Family members | Acknowledged quantity |
|---|---|
| 1 to 2 | 1 |
| 3 to 4 | 2 |
| 5 to 8 | 3 |
| 9 or more | 4 |
Items beyond those quantities, goods used less than 3 months before entry, motor vehicles (other than ones exported from Korea) and certain jewelry above the stated taxable value are listed as mandatory taxable items.
Six-month arrival rule
Unaccompanied goods must arrive in Korea within 6 months of the mover's arrival date, measured from the entry date of the ship or aircraft carrying them. KCS gives special start dates for overseas Koreans who give up permanent resident status and for people whose nationality changes.
Documents KCS lists
For vehicles, KCS allows one passenger car or motorcycle per household if it was registered overseas in the mover's name at least 3 months before entry.
- Moving-goods declaration, filed in the mover's name.
- Itemized description of the declared goods and a packing list.
- Bill of lading.
- Alien registration card, visa and domestic employment certificate.
- Power of attorney form if someone else clears the goods.
Where the O'Brien's paperwork fits
The KCS table counts furniture and appliances by household size, so a clear count of beds, sofas, refrigerators and televisions is the first thing to settle. O'Brien's writes an itemized inventory and condition report before packing, and the an itemized written estimate. Your free in-home estimate also comes with 10 free heavy-duty boxes. Call 775-359-6683 and ask for an estimator, or see how our estimates work.