The Korea Customs Service has proposed a record budget of 728.4 billion won for the upcoming year. This increase is aimed at bolstering drug interdiction efforts at the border, as the smuggling of narcotics through international shipping and travelers has surged. The agency also plans to accelerate the development of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies for detecting illegal goods and smuggling.
On September 1, the Customs Service announced that its 2027 budget is 38.5 billion won (5.6%) higher than this year. The agency intends to focus its resources on building a border defense network to prevent drug imports, a comprehensive AI transformation in customs administration, and tailored research and development (R&D) to enhance customs and border management.
To strengthen drug enforcement, 21.3 billion won will be allocated. In the first half of this year, the Customs Service reported a record 767 cases of narcotics intended for domestic distribution, totaling 1,007 kilograms. To address this, the agency will integrate individual X-ray screening centers at Incheon International Airport's passenger terminals and establish an 'X-ray Multiple Screening Integrated Center' that allows two operators to analyze suspicious cargo simultaneously, with an investment of 5.2 billion won.
In response to illegal imports through e-commerce, the Customs Service plans to construct a new international mail inspection center at a cost of 9.4 billion won. This facility will automate the entire process from cargo intake to classification and export, while also providing dedicated inspection rooms to minimize direct exposure to narcotics for inspectors.
For the AI transformation in customs administration, 6.5 billion won will be invested. This includes 1.8 billion won to enhance an 'illegal goods AI screening model' that analyzes supply chain risk to filter out narcotics and firearms imported through international shipping.
Additionally, 2.6 billion won will be allocated to develop a system that integrates and analyzes tax and investigation data using AI to address price distortions in imports and illegal foreign exchange transactions. A further 1.4 billion won will be used to create an AI monitoring system that links data and risk information from the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to track imported goods from entry to distribution.
For tailored R&D, 4.9 billion won will be set aside. This includes 1.2 billion won to develop a system that automatically screens smuggled goods by training AI on 430,000 cases of container smuggling accumulated over decades. An additional 900 million won will support a project to standardize X-ray screening data to improve the efficiency of inspections for imported goods.
Moreover, 700 million won will be allocated for the development of a portable inspection kit that can detect narcotics by inserting a needle through packaging without opening it. The agency will also dedicate 2.1 billion won for short-term R&D to develop urgently needed technologies.
Na Jong-tae, the Customs Service's Planning and Finance Officer, stated, "We have implemented rigorous expenditure restructuring through prioritization of projects and cost-cutting in the public sector. The funds generated will be concentrated on key initiatives that the public can feel, such as drug interdiction and AI-based innovations in customs administration."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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