South Korea’s customs agency has uncovered a rise in attempts to disguise Chinese goods as Korean exports to evade U.S. tariffs.
A recent investigation by the Korea Customs Service uncovered 29.5 bn won ($20.81 m) in origin breaches in the first quarter, with 97% of the shipments destined for the United States, according to Reuters.
This compares to 34.8 bn won in total violations in 2024, with 62% of that amount coming from items intended for the United States. The hike comes after President Trump imposed new tariffs, including a 25% duty on South Korean exports, which is presently postponed for three months.
South Korean and US officials met Monday to explore cooperative investigations amid fears that foreign corporations are using South Korea to avoid trade restrictions, Reuters reported.
