[Photo=Yonhap News Agency]
The government said it will tighten customs and distribution oversight of tariff quotas to prevent delays and misconduct, including by speeding releases from bonded areas and strengthening penalty rules.
Officials said they reviewed follow-up steps to improve tariff-quota operations at a meeting of the interministerial task force on special management of consumer prices held on May 7.
The government has used tariff quotas to help stabilize prices, but it said it identified improper cases in which some agricultural and fishery products were not promptly released from bonded areas after import declarations. In response, it plans to newly designate items for intensive management, revise customs rules to encourage faster release, and strengthen domestic distribution oversight and sanctions.
The government previously inspected the full chain of importing, storage and sales for emergency tariff-quota items from March 9 to April 16. It said the review found price declines for bananas (-4%), mangoes (-20%), pineapples (-11%) and frozen mackerel (-3%).
In distribution, the government said consumers saw larger price cuts when importers supplied large discount stores directly than when products moved through wholesale and retail channels. It also said imported fruit has a limited shelf life and frozen mackerel is already managed, and it found no problems with delayed market distribution timing.
To support the changes, the government is also pursuing amendments to the Customs Act, including a new legal basis for designating intensively managed items. The related bill was submitted to a Cabinet meeting on March 31, then received emergency approval on April 3 and was promulgated and took effect. Since March, authorities have also operated a joint interagency task force on tariff-quota management for agricultural and livestock products to strengthen item-by-item customs and distribution inspections.
The government said it will reflect additional measures — including tougher penalty standards and a new release order — in the regular tax law revision package in July, aiming to complete revisions within the year. Under current rules, an additional tax is imposed only after 30 days from the date goods enter a bonded area; the revision would tighten that to 20 days.
To speed sugar distribution, the government will shorten the mandatory release period from six months to four months. Starting in August, it will also add five items — including frozen mackerel — to the list of imported seafood subject to distribution traceability management.
By year’s end, the government said it will build an integrated system, centered on a dedicated body, to continuously monitor the entire process of importing, distribution and sales for tariff-quota items in agriculture and livestock.
Officials said they reviewed follow-up steps to improve tariff-quota operations at a meeting of the interministerial task force on special management of consumer prices held on May 7.
The government has used tariff quotas to help stabilize prices, but it said it identified improper cases in which some agricultural and fishery products were not promptly released from bonded areas after import declarations. In response, it plans to newly designate items for intensive management, revise customs rules to encourage faster release, and strengthen domestic distribution oversight and sanctions.
The government previously inspected the full chain of importing, storage and sales for emergency tariff-quota items from March 9 to April 16. It said the review found price declines for bananas (-4%), mangoes (-20%), pineapples (-11%) and frozen mackerel (-3%).
In distribution, the government said consumers saw larger price cuts when importers supplied large discount stores directly than when products moved through wholesale and retail channels. It also said imported fruit has a limited shelf life and frozen mackerel is already managed, and it found no problems with delayed market distribution timing.
To support the changes, the government is also pursuing amendments to the Customs Act, including a new legal basis for designating intensively managed items. The related bill was submitted to a Cabinet meeting on March 31, then received emergency approval on April 3 and was promulgated and took effect. Since March, authorities have also operated a joint interagency task force on tariff-quota management for agricultural and livestock products to strengthen item-by-item customs and distribution inspections.
The government said it will reflect additional measures — including tougher penalty standards and a new release order — in the regular tax law revision package in July, aiming to complete revisions within the year. Under current rules, an additional tax is imposed only after 30 days from the date goods enter a bonded area; the revision would tighten that to 20 days.
To speed sugar distribution, the government will shorten the mandatory release period from six months to four months. Starting in August, it will also add five items — including frozen mackerel — to the list of imported seafood subject to distribution traceability management.
By year’s end, the government said it will build an integrated system, centered on a dedicated body, to continuously monitor the entire process of importing, distribution and sales for tariff-quota items in agriculture and livestock.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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