Strengthening the Full Inspection of Special Express Cargo from High-Risk Countries, Blocking Counterfeit Cosmetics and Health Supplements
Incheon Airport Customs Establishes a Collaboration System with K-Beauty and Health Supplement Manufacturers and Retailers
The impressive growth of the K-Beauty and health supplement markets is welcomed both domestically and internationally. However, shadowed by this growth is the distribution of counterfeit products, raising concerns over consumer harm and undermining industry trust. To combat this, Incheon Airport Headquarters Customs is expanding full inspections of special express cargo from high-risk countries and rigorously preventing counterfeit products from entering the domestic market, while also strengthening collaboration with related industries. These measures are considered essential steps for consumer protection and domestic industry development.
Background of Strengthening the Crackdown on Counterfeit Goods
The range of counterfeit goods, once focused mainly on foreign luxury watches or bags, has now expanded to include domestic brand cosmetics and health supplements. This reflects the global popularity of K-Beauty and health supplements, while also being recognized as a serious problem that deceives consumers worldwide and undermines industry trust. Effective countermeasures have thus emerged as an urgent task.
Establishing a Collaborative System Through Consultations
On February 11, Incheon Airport Headquarters Customs held a 'Counterfeit Goods Crackdown Consultation' at the special logistics center with 20 related companies, including K-Beauty and health supplement manufacturers and retailers. This consultation aimed to effectively block the domestic entry of counterfeit goods and establish a continuous information exchange system between institutions and industries.
Plans to Expand Full Inspections and Share Information
During the consultation, a process of meticulously analyzing the enforcement data accumulated by customs along with the information provided by companies was undertaken to screen special express cargo from high-risk countries. Based on this data, a consensus was reached to conduct full inspections on these cargos to strengthen the crackdown on illegal items.
Furthermore, there was discussion about mutually sharing identification information, such as the characteristics of counterfeit products and methods for determining authenticity, and establishing a rapid emotive collaboration system with companies during crackdowns.
An information exchange system will be gradually implemented to organically link the analytical information from customs with the risk information from companies to maximize the capability to crack down on counterfeit goods.
Major Achievements in Cracking Down on Trademark Infringing Products
Since July of last year, Incheon Airport Customs has been operating a focused crackdown team on counterfeit items, conducting intensive inspections of cosmetics and health supplements. As a result, substantial achievements have been made in detecting many trademark-infringing items, including 28,406 cosmetic items such as hairstyling products and moisturizing-whitening creams, and 6,291 health supplement items.
Joint Response for the Future
"The issue of counterfeit goods requires close cooperation with the industry alongside the efforts of government agencies. Building on the recent consultation, we aim to further solidify the cooperation system and plan a joint response to protect public health and domestic brands, as well as the K-Beauty and health supplement industries."
- Incheon Airport Customs
Implications
The proactive response by Incheon Airport Customs and its collaboration with the industry marks an important milestone in effectively curbing the distribution of counterfeit goods. This collective effort significantly contributes to enhancing market transparency and solidifying consumer trust, ultimately forming a strong foundation for fostering a healthy industrial ecosystem.
These efforts contribute to strengthening transparency and consumer trust in the K-Beauty industry, and provides practical marketing strategies to help brands deliver superior value to customers.
