South Korea
Check our destination guide for postal restrictions and requirements
Prohibitions
The following items are prohibited from importation, meaning they won't be allowed to enter the destination country, territory or region.
To check which items are considered dangerous and prohibited for sending from Australia, download our Prohibited and Restricted item list and packaging guide (1.1MB).
- Animals and animal products
- Arms and ammunition and parts thereof
- Beverages and spirits
- Cereals
- Dairy products
- Electrical machinery
- Foodstuffs
- Furs and animal skins
- Medical equipment
- Meat products
- Natural honey
- Natural or cultured pearls
- Optical, photographic and cinematographic materials
- Oil products and seeds
- Plastics and articles thereof
- Plants and plant products
- Precious and semi-precious stones and metals
- Raw hides and skins
- Some vehicles and articles thereof.
Transporting food of any kind, cash and perfumes are prohibited under International Courier.
Batteries
All types of batteries and devices containing them (e.g. laptops, mobile phones, wireless headphones and equivalent, power banks, tablets, etc.) are prohibited from being sent via International Courier.
Medications
All types of medications are prohibited from being sent via International Courier:
- Non doctor prescribed e.g. Panadol
- Pharmacy only e.g. labelled with pharmacy and recipient name
- Doctor prescribed e.g. asthma puffer, insulin tablets/needle, heart medications
- Controlled/illegal e.g. Morphine, Methadone, Hemp Seed Oil, Cannabinoids
Import restrictions
If an item is subject to import restrictions, it means that provisions must be met before it will be released from customs in the destination country, territory or region.
We recommend you confirm import restrictions with local authorities before posting:
- All propaganda and goods from North Korea
- Animals and animal products
- Books, publications, films, video
- Coins, banknotes and currency
- Foodstuffs
- Knives
- Narcotics
- Printed matter
- Plant and plant products
- Radio equipment
- Seeds
- Soil Samples and Soil in general
- Swords
- Telecommunications equipment
- War material
- Weapons
Please note the following restrictions for International Standard articles being carried by the EMS network:
- Ammunition
- Animals
- Antiques
- Asbestos
- Bees
- Biological substances
- Bullion
- Coins
- Counterfeit
- Currency
- Fur
- Human ashes
- Human remains
- Ivory
- Jewellery
- Leeches
- Live
- Narcotics
- perfumery
- Perfume
- Perishable
- Pornography
- Precious metals
- Precious stones
- Silkworms
- Watches (only if over $150)
- Weapons
Okay to send? Send responsibly.
As the sender, it's your responsibility to make sure your items don't break any laws or rules – both within Australia and in the destination country.
Restrictions and conditions can change at short notice so the information on this page should be used as a guide only. For the latest information, you should check the UPU prohibitions & restrictions (PDF 3.2MB) or contact the destination country's customs, postal trade or government authority.
It's also your responsibility to check if the destination country imposes any duties, taxes, brokerage fees or any other fees on the item you're sending. If you're unsure, please contact the consulate office of the destination country.
Special documentation
In addition to our customs forms, authorities in the destination country, territory or region require further documentation for some items.
Small items to a value of 70,000 won are admitted free of duty if appropriately labelled gift, sample, goods returned, temporary import, and so on.
Delivery locations & exclusions
Before sending to this destination, it’s worth noting a few more details about our international delivery services.
Delivery locations & exclusions data (Personal)
- International Express and International Standard (carried via the EMS network) - Parcels does deliver to all destinations
International Express and International Standard - Parcels does deliver to a Post Office Box however does not deliver to a Poste Restante. - International Registered Post - Letters
Korea prohibitions the following articles for International Registered Post - Letters includes; coins, bank notes, securities of any kind payable to the bearer, travellers’ cheques, platinum, gold or silver whether manufactured or not, precious stones, jewels or other valuable articles. Korea is not liable in the case of theft or damage, where items contain articles made of glass or fragile articles. - International Courier
Check our International Courier page for more details.
Shipments must be lodged at the counter at a participating Post Office (PDF 832kB) by the cut-off time, which may vary by outlet. Please fill out the online CN23 customs form prior to visiting the outlet.
International Courier does not deliver to a Post Office Box or Poste Restante.
Metropolitan delivery to (valid postcodes in brackets):- Seoul (100011 to 158887)
- Pusan* (600011 to 609360, 609390 to 612034, 612809 to 618410)
Note: guarantee of delivery in 2 business days does not apply to 609330, 609724 or 609730. - Taegu* (700010 to 701150, 701600 to 701738, 701748 to 701837, 701840 to 702290, 702600 to 711749)
Note: guarantee of delivery in 2 business days does not apply to 701613, 701734, 701771, 702130 or 703230. - Ulsan* (680010 to 683040, 683300 to 689706)
Note: guarantee of delivery in 2 business days does not apply to 682080, 683440 or 683460. - Incheon (400011 to 400223, 400420 to 400833, 401010 to 407834, 409919 to 413020)
Note: guarantee of delivery in 2 business days does not apply to 400460 or 400728. - Seongnam (461140 to 463975)
- Suwon (440050 to 443851)
- Anyang (430010 to 431908)
- Taejeon* (300010 to 300210, 300762 to 301211, 301600 to 301848, 302120 to 305156, 305250 to 305360, 305370 to 305500, 305506 to 306140, 306190 to 306830) Note: guarantee of delivery in 2 business days does not apply to 301743, 301759, 305355, 306240 or 306250.
*Goods to this area may be subject to longer than usual customs delays which may affect the delivery time guarantee
For more information from the overseas carrier, check the Korea Post website.