Korea Central Customs Laboratory and Scientific Service (KCCL), established under Korea Customs Service (KCS), performs technical customs administration to support duties of KCS, such as fair and scientific customs collection and customs border control. The KCCL performs analysis on goods for import and export and advance ruling on classification, classification tasks, safety of goods, R&D activities for customs analysis technology and classification standards, and international cooperation activities.
With the development of science & technology and e-commerce system, our services include analyzing harmful goods such as narcotics, illegal medication/food products, and other controlled chemical substances to prevent them from crossing our borders, to ensure the social safety, people’s health, and environmental protection. In this light, we have the latest rigorous analysis system by securing hi-tech equipment and new analytical techniques to proactively control dangerous goods at customs borders.
In addition, we have dedicated to captivity building and standardization of the customs analysis for AP members as WCO Regional Customs Laboratory in Asia Pacific region by supporting their work, capacity building, and sharing information.
The KCCL has made efforts in raising the global standing and enhancing the modernization of analytical technology. In this context, we have built the global networking with other branches of foreign customs agencies and attended meetings including, WCO HSC (Harmonized System Committee), RSC (HS Review Sub Committee), and SSC (Scientific Sub-Committee) to strengthen international cooperation and share information.
Analytical assistance includes a scientific and rigorous analysis on names of goods, standard, components, usage, and county of origin for fair taxation and proper customs management. Additionally, a broad range of analyses are performed on commodities to determine whether the merchandise meets the requirements in compliance with Customs laws & regulations and Harmonized System (HS).
The laboratory supports the analysis and screening on a requested item before import & export declaration in order that conducting fast and precise clearance and forecasting the potential volume of trade.
The KCCL strives to promote uniformity of analysis work by providing technical guidance on purchasing analytical equipment, sharing information on new analytical methods, and offering a professional training program.
Since the appointment of KCCL as a WCO RCL for AP region in 2018, we have run ‘WCO RCL Professionals Programme’, which shows good examples of chemical analysis and Knowhow in respect of promoting the standardization of analysis and analytical capacities for WCO’s members.
On behalf of Korea, we have participated in the WCO HSC, RSC, and SSC to offer technical advice on major issues of HS classification. As building the global networking with foreigner customs laboratories, the cooperation and various exchanges among WCO members have been strengthened, which is the foundation of our aim of globalization.
The consulting services are available via our website in English for developing countries who want to build a new lab, and WCO members who are facing a challenge of operation. Furthermore, we have a tour program which shows our high-tech equipment and facilities to increasing the level of standardization of customs analysis.
To promote the social safety, people’s health, and environmental protection, safety analysis are being routinely done to aggressively block the entry of harmful goods such as drugs, illicit medication/food product, and unapproved chemical substances. Also, we are expanding the cooperation on analytical information with related agencies by holding a forum.
We have strived to develop analytical technology and the standards of tariff classification, to enact laws related in conducting scientific analysis and fair taxation on imports and exports. Moreover, a national seminar on analytical technology has been held two times a year to report new findings of research.