Please tell me the types of import items prohibited under the customs act.

Hello. This is a customs specialist attorney.

Article 234 of our country's Customs Act prohibits the export and import of specific items to protect public safety and order.

For example, not only books, videos, and sculptures that disturb constitutional order or harm public morals, but also items that may leak government secrets or be used for espionage activities are prohibited from import.

Counterfeit or altered currency, bonds, securities, and other imitation products are also included in the list of prohibited items.

The problem here is that there are many cases where it is difficult to determine whether the item to be imported is a clearly prohibited item.

Even if it appears to be no problem on the surface, it may be subject to prohibition depending on the detailed use or composition, and the result may differ depending on the interpretation of laws such as the Customs Act or the administrative guidelines of customs.

Therefore, confusion in actual customs clearance stages or cases of damage from items not being able to be imported also occur sometimes.

Customs-related matters can lead to large administrative dispositions or criminal punishments even with small mistakes.

In particular, if it is ambiguous whether the items to be imported are prohibited items, proceeding without prior review may result in disadvantages such as customs clearance refusal and fine imposition.

Receiving expert advice from the beginning can prevent these risks, so we recommend consulting with a customs specialist attorney to check the risks in advance.