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Importing a Kayak to Korea

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A practical playbook for an expat in Seoul who wants to buy a premium folding or inflatable kayak (Neris, Nortik, Pakboat, Klepper, etc.) directly from a European or North American manufacturer and have it delivered to a Korean apartment.

This page is written around Neris because that is the most common modern choice (see Packable Sea Kayak Selection), but the process generalises to any direct international purchase of a sporting good over US$150.

The high-level path

  1. Email the manufacturer with your custom configuration.
  2. Receive a proforma invoice; pay by international wire or credit card.
  3. Generate a Personal Customs Clearance Code (PCCC) on the Korea Customs Service website.
  4. Manufacturer ships via DHL / FedEx / UPS to Seoul.
  5. Pay ~18% in customs duty + VAT to the courier on arrival.
  6. Courier delivers to your door.

End-to-end timing: 3 to 5 weeks from order to delivery, with most of that being manufacturing time.

Step 1: Placing the order

Where to write

For Neris specifically: neriskayaks.com is the main factory portal. Their international distribution arm at nerisadventures.com also handles English-language sales and is sometimes faster to respond. Use the contact form on either site, or email their sales team directly (address listed on the site).

What to include in the email

The Neris sales team is responsive but expects specifics. Be explicit about:

Template email

Subject: Custom Order Inquiry & International Shipping to Seoul, South Korea

Dear Neris Sales Team,

I am a resident in Seoul, South Korea, and would like to order a single-seater hybrid kayak for coastal sea touring (specifically circumnavigation paddling around Jeju Island).

Could you please send a price quote and manufacturing lead time for a Smart-1 Light TPU (or alternatively a Smart Pro XS with a TPU skin upgrade), in the Expedition Configuration with:

  1. Integrated spray deck and neoprene waist skirt
  2. Foot-pedal rudder system
  3. Dual 60 L conical dry bags matched to the bow/stern interior
  4. TPU/seam repair kit
  5. Air freight via courier (DHL, FedEx, or UPS), fully insured, to my residential address in Seoul, South Korea

Please quote in EUR or USD. I can pay by international wire or credit card upon approval.

Best regards, [Name] / [+82 phone] / [Seoul address]

What to expect back

A reply within 24–48 hours, typically including:

You confirm by signing the proforma and paying. Production starts the day they receive payment.

Step 2: Personal Customs Clearance Code (PCCC)

Any imported parcel valued over US$150 triggers full customs review. You must have a Korean Personal Customs Clearance Code (PCCC; 개인통관고유부호) before the parcel arrives, otherwise it gets held at Incheon Airport.

Getting your PCCC

  1. Go to Unipass — Korea Customs Service (also reachable from a Naver or Google search).
  2. The site has an English toggle (top right).
  3. Click “Personal Customs Clearance Code Application.”
  4. Authenticate using either:
    • Your Alien Registration Card (ARC) number + Korean mobile number, or
    • A Korean NICE / Naver / Kakao identity verification.
  5. Enter your name (as on ARC), address, and contact details.
  6. The PCCC is issued instantly — a 13-character code starting with P.

Save the PCCC in a password manager. You will reuse it for every future international order.

Pre-filing the PCCC with the courier

When DHL or FedEx contact you about the incoming parcel, they will ask for your PCCC. You can sometimes pre-supply it by:

Step 3: Duties and taxes

Korea applies two charges to sporting good imports:

Charge Rate Calculated on
Import tariff (관세) ~8% CIF value (cost + insurance + freight)
Value Added Tax (부가가치세 / VAT) 10% CIF + tariff

Combined effective rate: ~18% of the declared invoice value.

The courier (DHL / FedEx / UPS) acts as your customs broker by default. They pay duty to Korea Customs on your behalf, then bill you before delivery. You will get an SMS / email with the customs invoice — pay it (via Kakao Pay, bank transfer, or the courier portal) and the parcel gets released for last-mile delivery.

Brokerage fees are usually nominal (₩10,000–₩30,000) on top of the duty itself.

What if you under-declare?

Don’t. Korean customs randomly inspects ~5–10% of high-value parcels and they cross-reference the manufacturer’s listed retail price. A Neris kayak under-declared at $300 will get flagged. Penalty is the back-duty plus 40% penalty plus a possible block on your PCCC.

HS code

Folding kayaks are typically classified under HS code 8903.99 (other vessels for pleasure or sport). Some manufacturers ship under 9506.29 (water-sport equipment). Either is fine; the 8% tariff applies in both cases.

Step 4: Last-mile delivery

Once duties are paid, the courier delivers to your apartment door (or building security desk in most Seoul buildings). Boxes are usually 90–120 cm long; check your building’s freight elevator dimensions.

Pro tip: time-of-day delivery slots can be requested via the DHL / FedEx Korea app — useful if you don’t want a 120 cm kayak box sitting in your lobby for hours.

Step 5: Unboxing inspection

Open the box in front of the courier if possible:

If something is missing, Neris is responsive — they will ship the missing item separately under the same customs declaration (which you will not be re-taxed on if marked as “replacement”).

Bonus: shipping equipment internationally for trips

Once the kayak is in Seoul, flying with it is straightforward. Most airlines treat folding kayaks as standard sports equipment:

For sea kayak transport on domestic Korean flights, see Gimpo to Jeju Flight Hacks (the kayak goes as a regular checked bag).

Local accessory sourcing

These are easier to buy in Korea than to ship: