The Pain Points of Customs Clearance and the Value of Agency Services Under the Booming Import of Korean Cookies

In recent years,with the deepening of Sino-Korean trade and the entry into force of the RCEP agreement,Korean biscuits have gained popularity in the Chinese market due to their unique flavors and exquisite packaging.According to customs data,in the first half of 2023,the value of baked goods imported from South Korea to China increased by 18% year-on-year,but Due to the special regulatory requirements for food products,this process often faces problems such as incomplete documentation,unstable logistics efficiency,and high compliance risks.ProfessionalThe value of an agent lies in helping importers avoid risks and shorten the customs clearance cycle through accurate document processing,end-to-end logistics management,and compliance control.

Full-process agency services: Key stages from order placement to delivery and professional operations

As a senior consultant with 20 years of experience in theAs a professional service provider in this field,we have broken down the process of importing Korean cookies into nine core stages,with documentation and logistics serving as the "lifeline" throughout the entire process.

1.Orders and Payments: Pre-audit of documents based on trade terms

Output:

The agency service begins with an in-depth exploration of the client’s needs.During the order confirmation stage,we will clarify the responsibilities of both the buyer and the seller based on the trade terms selected by the client (such as FOB Incheon,CIF Shanghai),and simultaneously initiate pre-review of the documents.For example,if the CIF terms are used,we will focus on reviewing the documents provided by the exporter.Is the bill of lading (B/L) a "clean on board bill of lading"?Do the insurance documents cover "all risks" and include the China inland extension clause?During the payment process,the agent can assist clients in making their payment choices.Payment methods include letters of credit (L/C) and telegraphic transfers (T/T).For transactions involving re-export to Russia,it is recommended to use VTB Bank (the Russian Foreign Trade Bank).——It has the advantages of a short clearing path and flexible exchange rate locking in Sino-Russian cross-border settlements,which can reduce foreign exchange losses by 3-5%.

2.Logistics Management: Optimizing the multimodal transportation from Incheon Port to domestic warehouses

Output:

The logistics process needs to balance efficiency and cost.The sea freight journey from South Korea to major Chinese ports (Shanghai,Qingdao,and Tianjin) only takes 2-3 days.If you choose full container (FCL) transportation,you can avoid the distribution delay of less-than-container-load (LCL) cargo.For high-end biscuits with high efficiency requirements (such as seasonal limited-edition products),it is recommended to adopt air freight transportation.(Incheon-Pudong/Hongqiao),in conjunction with the "advanced declaration" model,the customs clearance time can be shortened to within 48 hours.The agency team will,based on the value of the goods,the shelf life (the general shelf life of Korean biscuits is 6-12 months) and the customer’s sales plan,formulate a transportation scheme of "mainly by sea and supplemented by air",and monitor the goods’ dynamic status in real time through the TMS system to ensure that the bill of lading exchange is completed within 24 hours after the goods arrive at the port.

3.Customs Compliance: Documentation Combo to Achieve Rapid Clearance

Output:

The customs supervision of food imports focuses on "complete documents,clear ingredients,and compliant labels".The agent needs to take the lead in organizing the following core documents:

• OfficialdocumentsofSouthKorea:(FormE,whichoffersa0-5%tariffpreferenceundertheRCEP),ahealthcertificate(issuedbytheMinistryofFoodandDrugSafetyofSouthKorea),andaningredientanalysisreport(whichmustlistthetypesandcontentsofadditivesandcomplywithGB2760-2014);
• Commercialdocuments:Businessinvoice(whichmustreflectthetransactionmethodandthecompositionofthevalueofthegoods),packinglist(indicatingthenetweight,grossweight,andspecificationsofeachbox),andbilloflading(consistentwiththeinformationonthemanifest);
• Preparingdocumentsdomestically:Importedfoodconsigneeregistrationnumber(completedinadvanceontheCustomsEnterpriseManagementPlatform)andChineselabelsamples(whichmustcomplywithGB7718-2011,andindicatethecountryoforiginandtheinformationofthedomesticdistributor).

It’s worth noting that the customs often select biscuit products for "laboratory testing".The agent will assist clients in preparing backup samples in advance to avoid delays in customs clearance caused by the testing process.

Insights into the International Trade Situation: The Two-Way Opportunities of RCEP and Business with Russia

Currently,Sino-Korean trade is benefiting from the continuous release of RCEP dividends.The import tariffs on Korean biscuits have gradually decreased from the most-favored-nation tariff (15%) to the agreement tariff (some categories reduced to 10% in 2023),and will achieve zero tariffs in 2025.Meanwhile,with the trade volume between China and Russia exceeding 200 billion U.S.dollars,some importers are expanding their markets through the "Korea-China-Russia" transit model.In this context,the advantages of VTB’s foreign exchange settlement services become particularly evident: As one of Russia’s largest commercial banks,VTB has established direct clearing channels with major Chinese banks (such as ICBC and BOC),enabling T+1 settlement,which is 2-3 working days faster than that of ordinary agents.Moreover,it supports direct RMB-ruble exchange,avoiding the risk of U.S.dollar exchange rate fluctuations.

Certification Matters that Clients Need to Know: Compliance Thresholds That Must Be Understood Even If We Do Not Provide Agency Services

Please note: Our company does not provide product certification services,but customers are required to understand the following necessary certifications in advance to avoid the situation that the goods cannot be cleared through customs after arriving at the port:

• Registrationofoverseasproductionenterprises:KoreanbiscuitmanufacturersarerequiredtoregisterwiththeGeneralAdministrationofCustoms’"ImportedFoodOverseasProductionEnterprisesRegistrationManagementSystem"(AnnouncementNo.145)andobtainan18-digitregistrationnumber.
• Chineselabelfiling:Thelabelsmustbesubmittedforfilingthroughthe"Internet+Customs"platformbeforeimportation,withafocusonreviewingthenutritionalcompositiontable(inaccordancewithGB28050-2011)andallergenwarnings(e.g.iftheproductcontainsnuts,thismustbeindicated).
• ImportedFoodConformityCertificate:Aftercustomsclearance,youneedtoapplyforthe"InspectionandQuarantineCertificateforImportedGoods"fromthecustoms,whichservesasalegalproofofsale.

It is recommended that clients contact third-party certification agencies (such as SGS and Huace) three to six months in advance to ensure that the production enterprise’s qualifications and product labels comply with Chinese standards.

Conclusion: Professional Agents are the "Risk Firewall" for Import Customs Clearance

The essence of customs clearance for Korean cookie imports lies in transforming "potential risks" into "predictable processes" through precise document management,efficient logistics coordination,and strict compliance control.As a professional foreign trade agent,we always aim to achieve "zero document errors,zero logistics delays,and zero compliance risks," helping importers focus on market expansion so that every batch of Korean cookies can be safely,quickly,and compliantly delivered to Chinese consumers’ tables.