North Korean liquor stuck at customs may clear under revised rules

Attention is growing over whether North Korean goods routed through third countries can enter South Korea, after Seoul introduced clearer verification standards to reduce confusion in such transactions.

A recent case suggests the changes may soon be tested.

According to local wire News1 on Thursday, Jung Ik-hyun, head of a small local trading firm, filed additional materials through the government-run Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation System.

Jung’s firm imported some 3,500 bottles of North Korean liquor last September — including 1,200 bottles of soybean-based “doenjang liquor” and 2,300 bottles of wild berry “deuljjuk liquor” — under a barter deal, exchanging 103 tons of sugar through a Chinese intermediary.

But the shipment has remained in limbo.

At the time, authorities withheld final approval, saying the documents initially submitted did not include verifiable customs clearance numbers needed to trace the movement of goods.

The issue reflects the structure of current inter-Korean trade.

With direct exchanges effectively suspended, traders must route North Korean goods through third countries such as China, making it harder to prove origin and verify shipment routes through official documentation.

Initially, Jung submitted documents issued by a private shipping company, including a bill of lading, which he believed would allow the shipment to be tracked. However, authorities determined that such documents were insufficient, as they require official customs-issued clearance numbers to verify the transaction.

In January, the Ministry of Unification revised related procedures to address such issues.

The updated rules require importers to submit official transshipment records issued by customs authorities when goods pass through third countries, rather than relying on explanatory documents prepared by private firms.

The News1 report said Jung has since submitted Chinese customs documents that include traceable clearance numbers, which are expected to allow authorities to verify the shipment through official systems.

The ministry, meanwhile, reaffirmed that the changes are intended to clarify procedures rather than resume large-scale trade with North Korea, which remains restricted under international sanctions.

Observers say the move is unlikely to lead to a meaningful increase in inter-Korean trade in the near term but reflects a broader effort to refine administrative procedures under prolonged tensions.

“In practice, exchanges with North Korea have been virtually suspended for years,” said Nam Sung-wook, a professor at Korea University. “Still, the move suggests the government is preparing for a possible resumption.”