I. Trade Situation and Policy Opportunities for Coffee Bean Imports in South Korea

In recent years, China’s coffee-consumption market has led the world with an average annual growth rate of 15 %, driving a steady surge in demand for imported beans. As a major Asian exporter of coffee culture, Korea’s bean trade is marked by “specialty plus diversification”: arabica accounts for over 70 %, and the export mix of roasted versus green beans is moving toward balance. On the policy front, after the China–Korea Free Trade Agreement took effect, the tariff on coffee beans (HS 09012100, unroasted) fell from the MFN rate of 8 % to the FTA rate of 2 % in 2023 and will drop to zero in 2025; under RCEP, the cumulative rules of origin further cut supply-chain integration costs.

But it should be noted that globally?Ocean shipping?Market volatility (e.g., 2023 U.S. West Coast port strike–induced sailing delays), International Coffee Organization (ICO) inventory alerts (2023 global stocks down 12% YoY), and China Customs’ “two-step declaration” reform (full declaration required within 14 days) all affectImport Agent Servicesplaces higher demands on professionalism.

II. Core Services for Import Agency: Document Processing and End-to-End Logistics Control

(I) Document Processing: The "lifeline" of full-process compliance

Importing coffee beans into Korea requires 12 categories of core documents; the expertise of the brokerage firm directly affects customs-clearance speed and tariff costs:

• Basic commercial documents: Commercial invoice (must indicate contract number, country of origin, and trade term CIF/FOB), packing list (must specify net weight, gross weight, and volume of each carton), bill of lading (must verify that the information of the shipper, consignee, and notify party matches the contract);
• Certificate of Preferential Tariff: China–South Korea FTACertificate of Origin(Form E), special attention must be paid to verifying the “direct consignment rule” (if transshipment via a third place occurs, a non-manipulation certificate is required) and the validity of the issuing authority’s signature and seal, so as to avoid losing the 2 % tariff preference due to documentary defects;
• Inspection and quarantine documents: Sanitary certificate issued by the Korean authorities (must state “complies with China’s food-safety requirements”), phytosanitary certificate (listing pest- and disease-detection results), and a compositional analysis report (key indicators such as caffeine content and water activity);
• Supporting documents: Trade contract (must specify quality standards, e.g., SCAA cupping score ≥ 80), insurance policy (under CIF terms, all-risk coverage for 110 % of cargo value), and overseas food-manufacturer registration number (FHC code, whose validity can be verified on the General Administration of Customs website).

?Zhong Shen?The team is staffed with documentation specialists who have over five years of experience and has established a “three-tier review” system (preparation–initial review–re-verification), keeping the average documentation error rate below 0.3%. By once correcting the transport-route description on a FORM E, it saved a client RMB 120,000 in customs duties.

(II) Logistics Services: End-to-end control from Busan Port to warehouses in China

South Korea’s coffee-bean imports are dominated by sea freight; the mainstream route is Busan → Shanghai / Qingdao / Tianjin (transit time 3–5 days). Forwarders must demonstrate professional competence at the following stages:

• : In view of the shock - proof requirements of precision instruments, a composite packaging solution of air - cushion film + wooden box is recommended to reduce the cargo damage rate during transportation.: Based on cargo volume (LCL for shipments under 500 kg, FCL for shipments over 5 tons) and time requirements (express orders can be arranged with fast vessels or?Air freight?) and cost budget (the 2023 Busan–Shanghai FCL ocean freight is roughly US $800 per 20GP), tailor the optimal plan;
• In-transit monitoring: Track container locations in real time through the carrier’s EIR system; for temperature-controlled requirements (green-bean storage ≤25 °C, humidity ≤60 %), coordinate with the ship owner to supply ventilated containers or install temperature-humidity loggers;
• Customs Clearance Coordination: Transmit the manifest data to customs 3 days in advance, complete the “Single Window” pre-declaration, and ensure that inspection is finished within 24 hours after arrival (the average inspection rate for general cargo is about 5%, while coffee beans, being food products, are subject to a slightly higher rate of 8%);
• Distribution and Delivery: Partners with China’s top-3 cold-chain logistics provider to operate a three-tier “port–regional warehouse–store” distribution network, enabling JIT (just-in-time) delivery; in 2023 the average door-to-door lead time (Busan → Shanghai store) was 7 working days.

III. Expansion of Business with Russia: VTB?Foreign exchange settlement?Advantages and Cross-Border Settlement Assurance

Some customers are involved with Russia.Re-export Services(such as purchasing coffee beans through South Korea and then reselling them to Russia), Zhongshen International Trade relies on its cooperation with Russiaforeign tradeStrategic partnership with VTB Bank offers three major advantages in foreign-exchange settlement:

• Settlement efficiency: As Russia’s largest state-owned commercial bank, VTB retains partial interfaces in the SWIFT system, cutting cross-border T/T arrival time by 1–2 business days compared with other Russian banks;
• Exchange Rate Hedging: Offers RUB-CNY NDF (non-deliverable forward) contracts to lock in exchange-rate risk within six months; in 2023, it helped clients avert a 15% FX loss;
• Compliance guarantee: Strictly adhere to OFAC (U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control) sanctions-list screening, ensure the counterparty is not on the SDN (Specially Designated Nationals) list, and avoid exposure to secondary-sanction risk.

IV. Compliance Notice: Import Certification Requirements and Agency Service Boundaries

It should be specifically noted that Zhongshen International Trade does not directly provide product-certification services; however, it will clearly inform clients of the relevant requirements and assist in preparing the materials needed for certification:

• Registration of Overseas Food Production Enterprises for Import: Coffee-bean manufacturers in South Korea must register with the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC); registration status can be checked on the “Internet + Customs” platform (valid for five years);
• China Food Safety Standard (GB): Coffee beans must comply with GB 31658.19-2021 “Determination of Tetracyclines, Sulfonamides and Quinolones Residues in Animal-Derived Foods” (for possible pesticide residues) and GB 2761-2017 “Maximum Levels of Mycotoxins in Foods” (aflatoxin B1 ≤ 5 μg/kg);
• Other optional certifications: Certifications such as Rainforest Alliance, Organic (China OFDC or EU EC 834) can enhance product premiums, but clients must apply to the certification bodies themselves.

V. Full-Process Agency Operation Guide: 9 Key Milestones from Contract Signing to Delivery

Taking the import of 10 tons of Korean green beans as an example, the standardized operating procedure of Zhongshen International Trade is as follows:

1. Client Consultation: Confirm import volume (10 tons), variety (Brazilian Arabica), quality requirement (SCAA 82 points), destination port (Shanghai Waigaoqiao);
2. Negotiation and Contract Signing: Review the qualifications of the Korean supplier (ISO 22000 certification), negotiate terms (CIF Shanghai,?L/C?L/C 90 days), sign an agency agreement (clearly stating that the scope of services does not include certification);
3. Orders & Payment: Send the PI (proforma invoice) to the supplier, open the L/C through the bank (with the notation “Negotiable against FORM E certificate of origin”), and simultaneously purchase cargo transportation insurance (Free of Particular Average);
4. Production supervision: Entrust the local SGS in Korea to conduct a pre-shipment inspection (5% sampling, verify moisture content ≤12%, impurities ≤0.5%);
5. Logistics Management: Book two 20GP containers (25 t payload each, actual load 5 t per box), coordinate with the carrier (Maersk) for issuance of clean B/L, and follow up on ETA (estimated 15 July);
6. Customs Compliance: Pre-enter the customs declaration (HS 09012100, declared price $5.2/kg), pay the customs duty (10 t × 1,000 kg × $5.2 × 6.8 exchange rate × 2 % ≈ 7,072 yuan) and VAT ((cargo value + duty) × 13 % ≈ 48,744 yuan), and cooperate with customs inspection (open and examine 5 cartons, draw 200 g for lab pesticide-residue testing);
7. Delivery and Distribution: After passing the inspection, arrangeTow truckTo the Shanghai Free Trade Zone warehouse (temperature-controlled storage, cost ￥0.5/day·kg), then distributed to Hangzhou and Nanjing stores within 3 days according to customer requirements;
8. Quality Assurance: Laboratory test report (dated July 20) shows aflatoxin B1 = 3 μg/kg (within standard), no pesticide residues exceed limits; final inspection completed;
9. Summary Feedback: Provide the "Full Import Process Report" (including 7-day logistics timeline, detailed customs clearance costs, and document compliance assessment), and settle the agency service fee (charged at 1.5% of the goods value, approximately ￥5,304).

Through end-to-end professional control, Zhongshen International Trade has helped 30+ coffee brands import coffee beans into Korea, cutting average customs-clearance time by 40% compared with companies handling it themselves and lowering overall costs by 8%–12%. As uncertainty in international trade intensifies, choosing an experienced agency is a key strategy for reducing risk and boosting efficiency.