Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Yoon Jun-byeong [provided by the lawmaker's office]
Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Yoon Jun-byeong [provided by the lawmaker's office]

Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Yoon Jun-byeong, who sits on the National Assembly's Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee and represents Jeongeup and Gochang-gun in North Jeolla Province, announced Monday that he had introduced a bill to prevent importers from deliberately delaying the release of goods that benefit from reduced tariff rates under the country's quota tariff system.

Under current law, the government operates a quota tariff regime that applies rates below the standard tariff to specific goods when boosting imports is necessary for smooth supply of materials or to strengthen industrial competitiveness, Yoon said.

Critics have repeatedly noted that some importers, after receiving the reduced-tariff benefit, delay releasing the goods or fail to supply them promptly to the domestic market — leaving supply-demand imbalances unresolved and undermining the purpose of the quota tariff designation.

Current law also lacks a clear legal basis to impose mandatory release deadlines or compliance conditions on goods that have received the tax reduction benefit, and calls for reform have persisted as a result.

The proposed amendment aims to block tactics such as intentional release delays and stockpiling by importers who receive quota tariff benefits, and to give consumers a more tangible sense of price relief.

The bill would give the commissioner of the Korea Customs Service legal authority to attach conditions — including a release deadline — to designated goods subject to quota tariffs, as specified by presidential decree. If an importer violates those conditions, the quota tariff benefit would be revoked, the standard tariff rate applied, and the difference collected.

"The quota tariff system is a national measure that uses taxpayer money to stabilize household food prices and ease the financial burden on the public," Yoon said. "Yet some shameless importers pocket the tariff reduction while locking goods in warehouses to profit from price gaps — behavior that disrupts the market and amounts to cutting in line on prices and deceiving the public, threatening the livelihoods of ordinary people. Reform is urgently needed. I will do my utmost to strengthen the effectiveness of the quota tariff system and promote price and supply stability."


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