Alcohol / Spirits 🇰🇷 South Korea
1 liter (under USD 400) duty-free
Can I bring Alcohol / Spirits into South Korea?
1 liter (under USD 400) duty-free
1 liter under USD 400 value
~70-100% combined taxes on excess
- Korea Customs Service declaration form for quantities above duty-free allowance
Required at the destination customs authority
Full details
Travelers aged 19+ may bring 1 litre of distilled spirits (with USD 400 max value) duty-free into South Korea, plus 200 cigarettes / 50 cigars / 250g of tobacco. Quantities above attract Korea Customs Service duty (KRW 23,710 per litre of pure alcohol for spirits) plus 10% VAT. The Red Channel at ICN / GMP / PUS / CJU handles declarations. Cosmetics, electronics, and other goods count toward the same USD 800 personal-allowance ceiling.
PENALTIES
- Fine: 200000–10000000 KRW
- Civil penalty only
Occasional — Enforcement reported intermittently.
Leaving South Korea with alcohol / spirits
Spirits for personal consumption are freely exportable from South Korea — excise duty is origin-paid on retail purchases and no export formality applies at personal quantities. The binding constraint is the destination's duty-free allowance (typically 1 litre of spirits) above which arrival duty applies, and aviation rules: liquids over 100 ml must travel in checked baggage or as sealed duty-free purchases, and alcohol over 70% ABV is forbidden on aircraft entirely (24-70% ABV is capped at 5 litres per passenger in retail packaging).
Duty-free allowance per adult: alcohol up to 2 bottles (total max 2L, value up to USD $400), 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g tobacco (must be 19+), perfume up to 60ml, and general goods with total value not exceeding USD $800 (KRW equivalent). Alcohol and tobacco count separately from the USD $800 goods allowance.
Standard duty-free allowance applies (typically 1L spirits + 1-2L wine + beer). Declare any quantity above; excise + 10% VAT computed at Korea Customs Service (KCS) Red Channel. Bring purchase receipts.
1 liter under USD 400 value
- Korea Customs Service declaration form for quantities above duty-free allowance
~70-100% combined taxes on excess
Korean Customs Act
This page covers destination customs rules in South Korea. Whether you can carry alcohol / spirits through security, in carry-on, or in checked baggage depends on airline and screening rules — see air travel rules.
Alcohol / Spirits is classified under Class 3 — Flammable liquids. Cabin and checked-baggage rules apply on top of any destination regulation.
Alcohol / Spirits rules in other countries
Alcohol / Spirits
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
Completely prohibited. Zero tolerance under Islamic law.
Alcohol / Spirits
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
Non-Muslim adults may import 4 litres of spirits or wine duty-free via most emirates.
Alcohol / Spirits
🇲🇾 Malaysia
1 liter duty-free allowance
Alcohol / Spirits
🇮🇩 Indonesia
1 liter duty-free; heavily taxed beyond
Alcohol / Spirits
🇫🇷 France
EU standard allowances from non-EU; unlimited within EU
Alcohol / Spirits
🇮🇹 Italy
Standard EU allowances apply