The planned domestic distribution of 3,500 bottles of North Korean liquor, which had been held at customs since last September, has fallen through, and the products will now be re-exported to Thailand for sale.
According to a North Korea-focused economic cooperation operator identified as A on July 2, the company he runs withdrew its application in May for approval to import the goods. The Ministry of Unification reportedly accepted the withdrawal after review.
The shipment, brought into Incheon Port in September last year, consisted of 1,200 bottles of soybean wine and 2,300 bottles of blueberry wine, imported through contracts with North Korea’s Korea Chongnyon Trading Corporation and Chinese intermediaries.
To comply with international sanctions regulations, the importer used a barter system—exchanging goods rather than cash payments, reportedly using sugar as the medium of exchange. The Ministry of Unification required documentation proving the legitimacy of the barter transaction before granting final approval.
However, the importer later struggled to secure the required documentation, leaving the shipment stuck at Incheon Customs for an extended period.
Compounding the delays were financial burdens linked to prolonged customs clearance and internal business constraints, ultimately leading the company to abandon domestic distribution.
In a phone interview with News1, A said the decision to withdraw the import approval request was due to delays in customs procedures and overlapping internal issues, adding that the company initially intended to cancel the clearance process and later re-import the goods.
The company now plans to re-export the 3,500 bottles of North Korean liquor to Thailand, with intentions to pursue re-importation at a later stage.