More customs officers needed for overseas trouble-shooting missions

By Kim Jae-won

The head of the customs agency said Monday that international conflicts over customs issues are on the rise and that one way of dealing with it is to increase the number of customs officers stationed overseas.

“Embassies ask for officers who can manage customs matters for Korean companies having problems with foreign agencies,” said Joo Yung-sup, the commissioner of the Korea Customs Service (KCS).

Most of the calls for help are from developing countries, where corruption is believed to be still widespread among officials.

“I often discuss the matter with chiefs of foreign agencies, but we need resident officials who can work for Korean companies doing business abroad.”

The agency has asked the government to increase its number of overseas officers. Currently, only six customs officers are working overseas.

The 54-year-old lifelong bureaucrat said that Korean companies realize that the KCS’ system is advanced though they did not recognize it when they were doing business in the country.

“Korean firms take the efficiency of customs services for granted but they come to know that not all countries provide the same services we do.”

Joo said the KCS was chosen as the top customs agency for the last three consecutive years by the World Bank. He added said that customs units at airports were excellent, which contributed to quick and convenient processing there.

The agency not only has advanced customs skills and technologies, but also shares them with its counterparts from developing countries. It invites officials from foreign countries regularly and teaches them its advanced technologies such as “Uni-Pass” and exports them so they can use the system as well.

Meanwhile, Joo emphasized the importance of English skills for the younger generation, which he said will help them on the international stage. He said Korean adolescents were excellent in many fields, but do not shine fully on the global stage due to language barriers.

The KCS chief, who previously worked as director general of the taxation bureau at the finance ministry, disclosed a story about income tax exemption for private college professors which saw a severe backlash in the late 1990s.

He led the reform of income tax exemptions for the professors who had enjoyed special non-taxable income treatment of up to 50 percent of gross income. He gradually lowered the ratio, which now provides little.

Joo also introduced an income tax deduction for credit card use in 1999, a unique rule in Korea, which contributed to unveiling hidden tax resources and making tax returns of the self-employed more transparent.