Korea Lifts Duty-Free Alcohol Limit: What It Means for Travelers

Despite the South Korean government's recent announcement to lift the two-bottle limit on duty-free alcohol imports starting in the first quarter of 2025, reactions from the public, alcohol importers, and the duty-free industry have been largely lukewarm. Critics argue that without an increase in overall volume and monetary limits, the change lacks real impact. The Ministry of Economy and Finance stated on December 23 that the two-bottle restriction would be removed to stimulate duty-free shopping. Currently, travelers can bring in up to 2 liters of alcohol valued under $400, limited to two bottles. The government plans to ease the bottle limit by March 2025.

However, many consumers express frustration, noting that most alcohol purchased abroad is over 700ml, meaning the effective limit remains at two bottles. A frequent business traveler, Mr. Kim (63), shared, "I usually buy wine, whiskey, or vodka, which are typically 700ml to 1L. I would only bring back two bottles for personal use or gifts, so this announcement feels meaningless since the two-bottle limit still applies in practice." Discussions in alcohol enthusiast communities reflect similar sentiments, with users stating that increasing volume limits is necessary for the change to be meaningful.

The duty-free industry shares these concerns. An industry insider commented, "While the government is trying to support us, without lifting the volume restrictions, the removal of the bottle limit will have minimal impact on sales."

There are also worries that the removal of the bottle limit could exacerbate existing smuggling issues. An alcohol importer noted, "There are already individuals bringing in ten bottles at a time. If the two-bottle limit is lifted, we fear illegal activities will increase. Instead, we need a fundamental change in how alcohol taxes are structured, shifting from value-based to volume-based taxation."

Data from the National Assembly's Planning and Finance Committee reveals that the amount of alcohol tax evasion reached 6.34 billion won as of October last year, a staggering 136.7% increase from 2.68 billion won in 2023, and a thirtyfold increase from 278 million won in 2020.

While the majority of opinions lean towards dissatisfaction with the government's policy, some see potential benefits. Ms. Lee (29), who travels abroad once or twice a year, remarked, "I usually bring back two bottles of whiskey and several miniatures, but I always felt uneasy about the limits. Now, I can buy a few more without worrying too much about the bottle count." Some in the alcohol community also noted that they could now bring back more 500ml Chinese liquor (바이주) or miniatures without the previous restrictions.