More than 280,000 counterfeit items attempting to enter South Korea were seized in just two months. Notably, counterfeit products imitating Korean brands, including cosmetics and K-pop merchandise, have more than doubled compared to the previous special crackdown.
The Korea Customs Service announced on October 14 that from August 3 to September 30, it conducted a "concentrated crackdown on intellectual property infringement" across 34 customs offices nationwide, resulting in the interception of 280,733 counterfeit items at the customs stage. This amount represents about 24% of the total seized last year, which was over 1.17 million items, averaging around 4,700 counterfeit items filtered out daily at the border.
By category, toys and stationery accounted for the largest share, with 93,862 items (33.4%). This was followed by miscellaneous goods at 69,531 items (24.8%), clothing at 34,789 items (12.4%), bags at 27,298 items (9.7%), and cosmetics at 5,596 items (2.0%).
Among the seized items, counterfeit products from overseas brands made up 271,162 items, or 96.6% of the total. However, the increase in counterfeit products imitating domestic brands was also significant.
The number of counterfeit K-brand items seized reached 9,571, a 102% increase from the 4,744 items found during the special crackdown in May and June. Key seized items included domestic cosmetics brands such as Sulwhasoo and Dalba, as well as K-pop merchandise from groups like BTS and IVE.
There was also a significant influx of counterfeit goods through overseas direct purchases. By import route, general imported goods accounted for 146,323 items (52.1%), while express and postal items reached 129,627 items (46.2%). Personal items brought by travelers totaled 4,783 items (1.7%).
The issue of counterfeit goods entering through overseas direct purchases has been ongoing. According to the "2024 Annual Report on Intellectual Property Infringement Crackdowns" released by the Korea Customs Service last year, the number of seized intellectual property infringement items reached 1.43 million in 2024.
Notably, 86,873 cases related to overseas direct purchases accounted for 85% of all seizures. The quantity seized also increased by 114% from the previous year, totaling 733,000 items, with goods sent from China and Hong Kong making up 96.1% of the total.
Counterfeit goods pose risks beyond mere trademark infringement, threatening consumer safety. This crackdown uncovered counterfeit products from well-known cosmetics brands like Sulwhasoo and Chanel, as well as electronics from Samsung, Dyson, and Apple, and health supplements like probiotics and glucosamine. These counterfeit items are often imported through illegal channels, bypassing normal safety verification processes.
Particularly concerning are cosmetics that come into direct contact with the skin, children's toys, and health supplements, which could lead to consumer harm. A safety inspection report released by the Korea Customs Service last year indicated that out of 250 tested products, including counterfeit jewelry, 112 contained harmful substances such as lead, cadmium, and phthalates exceeding safety standards.
The Korea Customs Service urges consumers to be cautious of products priced significantly lower than market value and to purchase through official brand websites or authorized sellers. If counterfeit sales or distribution is suspected, reports can be made to the Customs Service's smuggling reporting center at 125.
Park Jun-seong, head of the Customs Inspection Division, stated, "Consumers often buy counterfeit goods simply because they are cheap, but the cost could be the health and safety of our families. We will continue to strengthen crackdowns on intellectual property infringement to protect public safety and the brand value of our companies, ensuring a fair market order."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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