A Korea Post courier delivers packages [NEWS1]

Korean post offices will stop accepting most parcels bound for the United States next week as Washington ends its duty-free treatment of low-value imports. 

Korea Post, under the Ministry of Science and ICT, said Thursday that it will suspend air mail to the United States starting Monday. Express mail service (EMS) packages, with the exception of documents that are not subject to tariffs, will halt Tuesday.

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The move comes ahead of a new U.S. policy set to take effect at midnight on Friday. For years, goods valued under $800 entered the U.S. tariff-free through international mail. Under the new rule, all incoming postal items — except letters and documents — must be declared and face a 15 percent tariff.

Until now, the U.S. government had waived tariffs on goods valued under $800 imported through international mail. However, starting Friday, all international postal items bound for the United States — excluding documents and letters — must be declared and will be subject to a 15 percent tariff.  

This change stems from a presidential executive order signed on July 30 eliminating the $800 de minimis exemption, which the U.S. administration believes has become a conduit for smuggling narcotics and counterfeit goods.

The current international postal network cannot support the processing of mandatory customs declarations and tariff payments for all items, prompting the suspension, according to Korea Post.

As an alternative, Korea Post recommended the EMS Premium service operated by private courier companies. Under EMS Premium, the logistics provider handles customs clearance, and tariffs are paid by the recipient. The service may be more cost-effective for packages heavier than 4.5 kilograms (9.9 pounds), but delivery fees for lighter items may be higher.

Korea Post said it will devise further measures to minimize inconvenience to the public. However, it remains uncertain when customs declaration and tariff systems can be integrated into the existing international postal network.

The agency also advised customers planning to send items to the United States to accurately declare the value and purpose of the goods and prepare necessary customs documents such as invoices.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.