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South Korean Customs Seizes 117,000 Counterfeit Goods and Records 3,318 kg Drug Haul in 2025

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Massive counterfeit haul underscores border enforcement surge South Korea’s customs agency confiscated 117,000 fake Korean‑brand products in 2025, spanning cosmetics, BTS merchandise, and counterfeit Samsung and LG electronics [1]. 97.7 % of the seized items originated in China, with a smaller 2.2 % share traced to Vietnam [1]. Following a newly signed memorandum of understanding with China, customs plans follow‑up actions to tighten intellectual‑property checks at the border [1].

Record drug seizure reflects shifting trafficking dynamics Customs reported a historic 3,318 kg of illegal narcotics seized in 2025, more than triple the previous year’s total [2]. Cocaine accounted for the bulk of the increase, while methamphetamine shipments fell sharply after a prior decline from Thailand [2]. The largest drug consignments arrived from Latin America, Asia, and North America, with Asia remaining the leading source despite the Thai drop [2].

International cooperation expands to curb both fakes and narcotics The agency will broaden collaboration with customs services in Cambodia, Laos, Canada, Germany, and France, adding them to existing partners [2]. A new commission‑led task force will oversee border control in 2026, and customs intends to create a public‑private consultative body with domestic brands to devise preventive anti‑counterfeit measures [1].

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Timeline

2022 – Korea Customs Service (KCS) records 112 air‑traveler drug‑smuggling cases, establishing a baseline for a rising trend in passenger‑based trafficking [3].

2023 – KCS logs 177 cases, indicating incremental growth in air‑passenger smuggling compared with the previous year [3].

2024 – KCS reports 198 air‑traveler cases, confirming a steady upward trajectory that sets the stage for the 2025 surge [3].

Jan 2025 – KCS initiates comprehensive inspections on flights from high‑risk countries, targeting the expanding pipeline of air‑smuggled narcotics [3].

Jan‑Oct 2025 – KCS seizes a record 2,913 kg of narcotics, almost four times the prior year’s total, with 505 air‑passenger cases accounting for the largest share of the haul [4].

Dec 1, 2025 – Seoul customs arrests three suspects for smuggling nearly 2 million cigarette packs, uncovering false declarations that evade ₩6.1 billion in taxes [5].

Dec 4, 2025 – KCS announces joint operations with ten countries (including Thailand, the United States, the Netherlands, Cambodia, Laos, Canada, Germany, and France) to embed customs officers at each other’s borders and boost pre‑emptive screening [4].

Dec 22, 2025 – KCS reports 557 air‑traveler smuggling cases from Jan‑Nov 2025—nearly a tripling of the previous year—and 275.7 kg of drugs seized, prompting continued high‑risk flight inspections [3].

2025 (full year) – KCS records a historic 3,318 kg of illegal drugs seized at the border, driven primarily by cocaine, while methamphetamine shipments decline after a sharp drop from Thailand [2].

Jan 2026 – South Korea and China sign a memorandum of understanding on intellectual‑property protection, laying the groundwork for tighter border‑level enforcement of counterfeit goods [1].

Jan 27, 2026 – KCS announces the seizure of 117,000 counterfeit Korean‑brand items in 2025, 97.7 % traced to China, and outlines plans to expand international cooperation and launch a public‑private consultative body with domestic brands [1].

2026 (planned) – KCS will launch a commission‑led task force to oversee border control and broaden cooperation with Cambodia, Laos, Canada, Germany, and France, aiming to curb drug‑trafficking flows [2].

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