• December 12, 2024

KT&G Authorized as “Economic Operator”

 KT&G Authorized as “Economic Operator”
Kim Yong Beom, head of the KT&G Finance Office (left), and Jeong Seung Hwan, head of the Seoul headquarters of the Korea Customs Service, during the certification ceremony at the Customs’ service Seoul headquarters in Gangnam-gu on May 17. | Photo: KT&G

The Korea Customs Service has certified KT&G as an “Authorized Economic Operator” (AEO).

AEO is an international standard certification system in which the Korea Customs Service recognizes companies based on their performance in terms of export and import safety management, legal, internal control systems, financial soundness and safety management.

The AEO certification provides KT&G with benefits, such as speedy customs clearance and reduced inspections of imported and exported goods.

The certification will help the company accelerate its global expansion program as major export destinations such as the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia and Tunisia will receive similar customs clearance benefits under a mutual recognition arrangement between those countries and Korea.

“We expect to be able to deliver products to our domestic and foreign customers more quickly under challenging trade conditions, such as rising protectionism and non-tariff barriers,” KT&G said in a statement. “In the future, we will acquire additional local AEO certifications for our foreign subsidiaries to strengthen our import and export competitiveness and accelerate our leap to becoming a global top-tier company.”