Korea, Japan seek closer customs cooperation on drugs, counterfeits

Korea and Japan are aiming to strengthen customs cooperation in key areas such as combating drug smuggling, counterfeit products, and cross-border online shopping. This effort is driven by customs officials who wish to safeguard businesses and bolster border security.

During a recent meeting in Tokyo, Korea Customs Service Commissioner Lee Jong-wook discussed three areas of collaboration with Mitsuhiro Teraoka, the director-general of Japan's Customs and Tariff Bureau. The conversation took place after their 34th Korea-Japan Customs Chiefs Meeting in Seoul in April, and was organized separately to tackle pressing bilateral concerns following Lee's recent appointment.

One of the main priorities of this cooperation is to protect Korean and Japanese brands, including popular K-beauty products, from the rising issue of counterfeit goods. In their discussions, the two countries proposed closer enforcement collaboration between their customs authorities. Japan was asked to assist Korean companies in utilizing their system for reporting customs authorities about imports and exports suspected of infringing intellectual property rights.

Furthermore, officials from both nations discussed establishing a system to exchange intelligence on drug seizures and smuggling attempts, further enhancing their joint efforts to maintain a secure and efficient border.