I.Analysis of Market Opportunities and Trade Situation for Korean Cookie Imports

In recent years,China’s imported food market has continued to expand.South Korean biscuits have gained popularity among young consumers due to their unique flavors and exquisite packaging.According to data from the General Administration of Customs,the total trade volume of food products between China and South Korea increased by 12.3% year-on-year from January to October 2023.Among these products,the import volume of biscuits accounted for more than 8%,indicating significant market potential.

From the perspective of the international trade environment,after the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP) came into effect,the tariff concessions on food products between China and South Korea have been further deepened.The most-favored-nation tariff rate for some South Korean biscuits (such as HS code 1905.3100 "Sweet Biscuits") has been reduced from 15% to 5%,and zero tariffs will be implemented in 2025,greatly reducing import costs.However,it should be noted that as a member of the WTO,South Korea’s exported food products must comply with China’s "Regulations on the Registration and Management of Foreign Food Production Enterprises in China",and foreign production enterprises must complete registration in China (obtain a registration number in China) before they can import their products.

In addition,fluctuations in global supply chains and technical trade barriers (TBT) remain potential challenges.For example,starting from 2024,South Korea will strengthen the compliance review of food additives for export,requiring more detailed ingredient testing reports; China’s customs will also strengthen the review of import food labels.Food products that do not display Chinese labels in accordance with the GB 7718 standard will face the risk of being returned to the sender.

II.Korean biscuitsService core: Full-process control from documents to logistics

As a professionalAgent,The company’s services cover the entire cycle of "consultation - contract signing - customs clearance - delivery",and its core advantages are reflected in the following aspects:Standardized processing of shipping documentswithLogistics Precision ControlTwo major stages.

(I) Document processing: The "first line of defense" to avoid customs clearance risks

Output:

Korean cookies are prepackaged food products.The core documents required for importing them include:

• OfficialdocumentsThehealthcertificate(orhealthreport)issuedbytheSouthKoreanauthorities;(FORME,whichentitlesyoutoenjoyRCEPtariffpreferences),ingredientanalysisreport(includingthetypesandlimitsofadditives),andproductiondate/shelflifecertificate;
• CommercialdocumentsContract(specifyingtradetermssuchasCIFQingdao),invoice(reflectingtheactualtransactionprice,whichwillbeusedbycustomstodeterminethecustomsdutyandtaxablevalue),packinglist(indicatinggross/netweight,numberofitems,andspecifications);
• SpecialdocumentsChineselabelsamples(whichmustinclude11mandatoryitemssuchasproductname,ingredientlist,productiondate,shelflife,andimporterinformation)andtheimportfoodconsigneeregistrationcertificate(whichmustberegisteredinadvancebytheimportingenterpriseonthe"Internet+Customs"platform).

The professionalism of the agency service is reflected in the following aspects:

• Pre-trialreviewandcorrection:Pre-reviewtheconsistencyofdocumentlogic(suchastheproductionbatchnumberinthehealthcertificatematchingthebatchnumberinthepackinglist),andpromptlynotifytheclienttomakecorrectionsifanyissuesarefound(e.g.theFORMEvisaagencyisnotanauthorizeddepartmentinSouthKorea).Thishelpsavoiddelaysincustomsclearanceduetodocumentmismatches.
• CategoryArchiveAccordingtotherequirementsofthecustoms,thedocumentsshallbedividedintoaccompanyingdocuments(suchasinvoicesandpackinglists)andspecialsupervisiondocuments(suchashealthcertificates),toensurethatthedeclareditemsareconsistentwiththeaccompanyingdocumentsandthedocumentsareconsistentwitheachotherduringthedeclarationprocess.

(II) Logistics Management: Two-Dimensional Optimization of Cost and Efficiency

Output:

The import of Korean cookies is mainly from Japan,the United States,and China.Mainly,the mainstream routes are Incheon Port → Qingdao/Shanghai/Tianjin Port,with a voyage duration of about 3-5 days.Given that biscuits are prone to moisture and fragility,the agent’s services need to pay special attention to the following aspects:

• SelectionofTransportationMode:Regularcookiesaretransportedinstandardcontainers(20GP/40GP),whilethosecontainingperishableingredientssuchasbutterrequirerefrigeratedcontainers(RF).Itisnecessarytoconfirmthetemperatureandhumiditycontrolstandards(usually0-4°C)withtheshippingcompanyinadvance.
• LogisticsnodemonitoringThroughthemaritimetrackingsystem(suchasShipNet),trackthecargo’smovementsinrealtime,andcompletethepre-declarationforthe"SingleWindow"threedaysbeforethearrivalofthegoodstoreducethewaitingtimeinport;
• InsuranceCoverageItisrecommendedtopurchasean"AllRisks"insurancepolicy,whichcoverscargodamagecausedbycollisions,waterdamage,andotherfactorsduringtransportation.Theagentcanassistclientsinnegotiatingthemostoptimalpremiumplanwiththeinsurancecompany.

III.Customs Compliance and Payment Settlement: VTB for Russian Business OperationsAdvantages Extended

During the customs declaration process,the agent needs to complete the following key actions:

• HSCodeClassification：Accuratelyclassifyitunderitem1905(suchas1905.3100"SweetBiscuits"or1905.3200"WaffleBiscuits"),toavoidtaxrateapplicationdeviationscausedbyincorrectclassification;
• totransportationplanoptimization:Tariff=Dutiablevalue×Tariffrate(5%or0%underRCEP),Value-addedtax=(Dutiablevalue+Tariff)×13%.Theagentcanassistclientsinrealizing"releasefirst,paytaxlater"through"TariffGuaranteeInsurance",thusalleviatingtheirfinancialpressure.
• TariffDisputeIntheeventofcustomsinspection,theagentshallaccompanytheinspection,verifythegoodsagainstthedeclaredinformation(suchasspecificationsandproductiondates),andassistinprovidingsupplementaryexplanations(suchastheoriginalingredienttestingreport).

It’s worth noting that if clients engage in trade with Russia at the same time,Zhong Shen International Trade Co.Ltd.can provide support based on its long-term cooperation with the Russian Foreign Trade Bank (VTB).High-efficiency foreign exchange settlement servicesSupport direct ruble-RMB exchange,shorten the foreign exchange settlement period to 1-2 working days (the industry average is 3-5 days),and help customers avoid the risk of exchange rate fluctuations through lock-in tools,which is especially suitable for importers with multi-regional operations.

IV.Customer Notice: Certification Requirements and the Boundaries of Agency Services

It should be noted that the import of Korean biscuits involves two key certifications,but Zhong Shen International Trade Co.Ltd.does not directly provide certification services.

• RegistrationofoverseasproductionenterprisesKoreanbiscuitmanufacturersneedtopassthereviewoftheGeneralAdministrationofCustomsofChina(theregistrationnumbercanbefoundonthe"ImportedFood"website).(Forinquiriesaboutthe"TradeRegistrationSystem"),clientsneedtocontacttheKoreanmanufacturingcompaniesdirectlytocompletetheregistrationprocess;
• DomesticsaleslicenseImportedcookiesenteringsupermarketsandotherchannelsmustcomplywithGB2760(FoodAdditiveUseStandards).Customersneedtocommissionthird-partytestinginstitutions(suchasSGSandHuace)tocompletethetestingandobtainthecorrespondingreports.

The value of the agency service lies in assisting clients in organizing the list of materials required for certification (such as enterprise qualification documents and product testing report templates) and providing coordinated suggestions for "certification progress-logistics planning" (e.g.recommending that shipments be arranged after the production enterprise completes registration),thereby avoiding situations where goods cannot be cleared at the port due to delays in certification.

5.Summary of the whole process: A service closed-loop from "customs clearance" to "delivery".

Zhong Shen International Trade’s Korean cookie import agency service aims to achieve "zero errors in documents and zero delays in logistics",and realizes a closed-loop service through the following steps:

• PreliminaryConsultationDefinetheclient’sneeds(suchaswhethertheyrequireacoldchainoratargetcustomsclearanceport)andevaluatethefeasibilityofthenecessarydocuments.
• ContractreviewAssistinreviewingtradecontracts(withafocusonqualityclausesanddisputeresolutionmechanisms)toavoidlegalrisks;
• LogisticsCollaborationMakea"arrival-declaration-inspection"scheduleaccordingtotheshippingschedule,andcoordinatewiththewarehouse(suchasthedesignatedbondedwarehouse)atthesametime;
• CustomsclearancedeliveryAftercompletingthetaxpayment,wewillarrangeforthepickupofthecontainerwithinoneworkingdayanddeliverittotheclient’sdesignatedlocationwithintwoworkingdays.
• After-salesfeedback:Providethe《Summarizethereport(includingthebreakdownoftaxesandfeesandtherecordofdocumentretention),andassisttheclientinoptimizingtheirnextimportplan.

Conclusion: The Korean cookie import market holds great potential,but compliance and efficiency are key.By choosing professional agency services,enterprises can minimize import costs,seize market opportunities,and achieve this through accurate document processing,efficient logistics management,and clear risk warnings.