Seoul, Tokyo form united front against counterfeiters, drug traffickers

As K-pop, Korean cosmetics and fashion continue to capture global consumers, a darker shadow industry has grown alongside them: counterfeiters pumping out fake Korean goods, and international smuggling syndicates attempting to move illicit narcotics across borders.

In response, Korea’s top customs official is launching a broad diplomatic campaign to enlist global enforcement agencies in cracking down on intellectual property theft and drug trafficking.

Lee Jong-wook, head of the Korea Customs Service (KCS), will initiate the campaign on Oct. 29, during a high-level summit with his Japanese counterpart. The bilateral meeting marks the starting line of an ambitious diplomatic expansion aimed at building real-time information-sharing networks with key trading partners across Asia, Europe and the Americas.

During the upcoming Tokyo summit, KCS said Lee plans to formally request that Japanese customs authorities streamline application processing for Korean companies seeking border enforcement of their intellectual property rights. Under Japan’s customs protection system — which mirrors Korea's own registration framework — brand holders can register trademark rights with customs officials to stop counterfeit goods at ports of entry before they reach store shelves or online marketplaces.

Beyond joint intellectual property enforcement, the two Asian neighbors plan to intensify intelligence sharing on drug trafficking patterns, creating a tighter dragnet to intercept illegal narcotics in transit.

The push comes as fake "K-brand" merchandise — ranging from luxury skin care products to pop culture merchandise — threatens the commercial interests of Korean exporters abroad. At the same time, customs officials in Seoul face rising pressure to stem the influx of illicit drugs entering the country through complex international supply routes.

The summit with Japan builds on foundational agreements Korea forged in September with several Central Asian nations — including Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan — as well as Mexico, covering mutual customs assistance and intellectual property protection.

Following Thursday’s talks with Tokyo, the KCS said it plans to roll out tailored enforcement pacts with customs authorities in Europe, Thailand, Vietnam, China and the United States.

"The tasks to be discussed starting with the Korea-Japan customs chiefs' cooperation meeting Thursday must not remain one-off events," Lee said Tuesday. "We will continuously pursue working-level consultations and follow-up measures so that these efforts lead to tangible enforcement results with foreign customs authorities."

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.