Import regulations by South korea customs

You do not pay duties and taxes on goods worth up to US $400. Travelers are allowed to additionally bring in the following duty-free items: 1 litter of alcoholic liquor, 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, 2 oz of perfume and 250 grams of tobacco products. (Liquor and cigarettes are only for those aged over 19)

You must declare when you have US $10,000 or more in a foreign or Korean currency.

You should be careful when you buy souvenirs made out of animals or plant materials as they may be prohibited; and all food items shall be subject to quarantine in Korea.

Be Warned: Do Not Carry Illicit Drugs Penalties for drug offences in Korea are severe and could result in a jail term.

Prohibited Items None of the goods falling under any of the following can be imported/exported.
Books, publications, drawings and paintings, films, phonographic materials, video works and other items of similar nature that may either disturb constitutional orders or be harmful to public security or custom.
Goods which reveal confidential information on the government or which may be used for intelligence activities
Goods which reveal confidential information on the government or which may be used for intelligence activities
Coins, currency, bank notes, debenture and/or other negotiable instrument counterfeited, forged or imitated.

Restricted items The importation of certain classes of merchandise may be restricted to protect the economy and security of Korea, to safeguard consumer health and well-being, and to preserve domestic plants and animals.

Many of these restrictions on importation are subject, in addition to being requirements by the Customs Law, to the laws and regulations administered by other Korean government agencies with which Customs are enforce.

It is important to note that we cannot list all the articles for various reasons. You are strongly advised to check with the Customs whether the goods of your interest are liable to special restrictions and prohibitions.
The following may be prohibited or required a permit for importation.

Animal, plant materials or their derivatives

Firearms, weapons and ammunition

Firearms (including soft air pistols) and ammunition and weapons (including blowpipes, daggers,

nunchukas, slingshots, flick- knives, pistol crossbows, knuckle dusters, replicas (not those designed as children's toys) )

Protected wildlife
Korea has strict laws controlling the import and export of products made of protected wildlife. The following products or souvenirs made of protected wildlife are prohibited and restricted: sturgeon caviar, hard corals (including black corals), giant clam shells, orchids (including live orchids), turtles, alligators, crocodiles (including gavials and caiman), big cats (leopards, tigers, and jaguars), elephants (especially ivory and hide products), snakes, lizards and monitors (goannas), rhinoceros, zebras, whales.

Drug-related products containing the following substances are prohibited without a permit:

narcotics, amphetamines, hallucinogens, barbiturates, vaccines, anabolic and androgenic steroids, growth hormones, and erythropoietin [EPO]) regarded as performance enhancers
Traditional medicines containing endangered species or their extracts such as American ginseng, tiger plasters or pills, aloe preparations, rhino horn, bear or snake parts are prohibited or restricted without a permit.Importation of performance enhancing drugs is prohibited without a permit.

Currency amounts of US $10,000 or more, or equivalent in foreign currencies ⇒ (meaning notes and coins of legal tender), must be reported on arrival or departure.

Export regulations by South korea customs

If You Carry Expensive Items If you depart Korea with expensive items (golf clubs, computers, cameras and video cameras) and you intend to bring them back to Korea, please register them when you depart Korea. Proof of ownership in the form of receipts for jewelry and other goods not readily identifiable may help you when you present the goods on return.

Once registered, you do not need to declare these articles to Customs on your return to Korea but please keep the registration form handy in case Customs has any questions.

You may take any personal goods out of Korea without having to pay duty/tax on them when you return (except items purchased duty/tax free in Korea before your trip and in excess of your duty free concession).

Other South korea customs information

Declaration If you have nothing to declare, an oral declaration is enough. On arriving, you must have the following documents ready for Customs Inspection:

Passport
Flight ticket
Customs Declaration Form, if needed

The KCS uses the Advance Passenger Processing System (APIS). APIS is an automated system capable of performing database queries on passengers prior to their arrival in Korea. This data-driven passenger risk assessment serves as a factual, unbiased tool that expedites Customs procedures for ordinary passengers..
Green (Nothing to declare) Channel ⇒ Red (Thing to declare) Channel

If you do not have anything to declare, please follow Nothing to Declare Channel
If you do have something to declare, please follow Goods to Declare Channel
Your baggage may be examined by Customs whether you take the red or the green channel.

http://english.customs.go.kr/kcsweb/user.tdf?a=common.HtmlApp&c=1501&page=/english/html/kor/personal