Jane Han is the North America editor for The Korea Times. Based in Seattle, she has covered business, culture and social issues across the United States for over 15 years. She previously worked at The Boston Globe.
Hiding cash in books? Remarks prompt debate among Koreans in US
A spread of $100 bills is seen in this file photo. AP-Yonhap
By Jane Han
SEATTLE — A controversial exchange about hiding U.S. dollar bills in books during a government policy briefing is drawing reactions from Koreans in the United States.
Some say the remark exposed an obscure tactic they had not known existed, while others argue that the very idea of moving large sums of cash overseas raises more questions than answers.
The exchange that set off the discussion occurred when the President Lee Jae Myung pressed the head of Incheon International Airport Corporation on whether such methods could slip through airport screening.
The airport chief responded that detecting cash hidden inside books is difficult because security staff focus on dangerous items, while currency checks fall under customs. His remarks, widely shared online, helped fuel questions about how screening works and why certain concealment methods are hard to identify.
The debate has spread quickly across Korean American forums and messaging groups, where some said they were surprised to hear such a specific method mentioned in a public setting. A few worried it could be misread as practical guidance, especially since some Koreans in the U.S. have long been interested in how to carry U.S. dollars out of Korea without facing tax or reporting hurdles.
Others noted that both the U.S. and Korea already enforce strict reporting rules on transporting currency, arguing that most travelers have little legitimate reason to carry large sums abroad. The discussion has since widened into a broader conversation about financial transparency and how comments made in Seoul can reverberate among overseas communities.
“I’ve lived here for 10 years and never heard of hiding cash in books,” said Kim, a Korean American resident of Los Angeles who declined to provide her full name. “It felt unusual to hear something like that described so plainly in a public briefing.”
Kim said the remark drew attention because some Koreans in the U.S. rely on money sent from family in Korea. “People receive funds for different reasons, including inheritance,” she said. “When taxes or reporting become complicated, some start looking for ways to minimize the burden, and carrying cash is something that occasionally comes up in conversation.”
Online forums also reflected mixed reactions. “Some people are treating this like a new loophole, which is worrying,” one commenter wrote on a Korean American forum. “Most of us keep only small amounts of cash when we travel. Hearing a specific method discussed publicly just creates unnecessary anxiety.”
For many Korean Americans, the debate has underscored how little the general public understands about rules governing cross-border currency. Under U.S. law, travelers carrying more than $10,000 must file a declaration with customs. Korea has a similar requirement for anyone leaving or entering with more than $10,000 in foreign currency. The rules do not bar transporting large sums, but failure to report them can lead to questioning or seizure.