Korea Post Resumes International Mail Service to the United States on September 22, 2025

Korea Post will restart acceptance of international mail to the United States on September 22, 2025.Service was paused because of U.S. customs policy changes.Shipments are now possible thanks to a new Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) system approved by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).Senders can pre-pay duties and fees at the post office so that recipients have no extra charges.

Korea Post Resumes International Mail Service to the United States on September 22, 2025

• EMS (Express Mail Service)

• International Parcel (air and surface)

• Registered Small Packet (K-Packet)

  
  

Duty and Fee Payment

• Who pays: The sender pays all duty and fees at the time of mailing.

• Average duty rate: About 15 % for goods made in Korea (varies by item and origin).

• Gift exemption: Gifts under USD 100 may be duty-free, but a USD 1.04 declaration fee is charged.

  
  

• Example:

  • Gift under USD 100 → USD 1.04 (sender pays)

  • Gift or goods over USD 100 but under USD 800 → USD 1.04 + 10 % of the duty (sender pays)

Letters and documents that require no customs declaration remain duty-free.

Advantages for Recipients

• No extra payment in the U.S.

• Faster clearance and delivery.

• Transparent costs with duties prepaid.

• Food items such as kimchi can now be shipped.

• Small gifts under USD 100 can be sent with only the declaration fee.

  
  

Important Sender Guideline

• Consent form: Sign the DDP consent form when mailing.

• Accurate customs details: Provide exact item name, quantity, value, HS code, and country of origin in English.

  • Bad example: “clothes”

  • Good example: “men’s cotton shirt (COO: South Korea)”

• Declare the real value in USD. Do not undervalue.

• Limited gift exemption: The USD 100 gift rule applies only to personal gifts between private individuals.U.S. customs will reject “gifts” if:

  • The sender name is a business or the box has a company logo.

  • Items are brand-new retail goods.

  • One person sends identical items to many people.

  • Items are tied to a purchase (bonus, sample, promotional goods).

• U.S. Customs has final authority. Shipments with incomplete or false declarations may be returned or destroyed.Refunds of postage, duties, or fees are not possible if that happens.

  
  

Summary: Korea Post Resumes International Mail Service to the United States on September 22, 2025, you can once again send parcels from Korea to the U.S. through Korea Post with all duties prepaid. Fill out accurate customs paperwork to avoid delays or penalties.