Korea, Japan seek closer customs cooperation on drugs, counterfeits

Korea and Japan are working to enhance customs cooperation to combat drug trafficking, counterfeit goods, and cross-border e-commerce, according to officials aiming 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.

This dialogue followed the 34th Korea-Japan Customs Chiefs Meeting in Seoul in April and was arranged independently to tackle urgent bilateral matters following Lee's appointment. A key objective is safeguarding Korean and Japanese brands, particularly K-beauty products, from counterfeit merchandise. Korea suggested strengthening enforcement cooperation between their customs agencies and requested Japan's assistance in enabling Korean companies to utilize Japan's system for flagging imports and exports of goods suspected of violating intellectual property rights.

Officials also deliberated on creating a mechanism for sharing intelligence on drug seizures and smuggling attempts.