![Lee Seo-jin (left), head of KT&G's tax affairs division, and Kim Yong-sik, head of the Korea Customs Service's Seoul headquarters, pose for a photo at a certification ceremony held Wednesday at the Seoul Main Customs Office in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. [KT&G]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/07/09/news-p.v1.20260709.0e57e582ac3f414483ca801173c45f22_P1.jpg)
KT&G said Thursday it had received an "AA" rating under the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) certification program administered by the Korea Customs Service.
AEO is an international standard certification regime through which the Korea Customs Service evaluates and accredits companies based on World Customs Organization criteria, assessing legal compliance, internal control systems, financial soundness and safety management practices.
KT&G first obtained AEO certification in 2023 and has now been upgraded to the AA rating three years later. It was the only company among the A-rated firms reviewed by this quarter's deliberation committee to receive an upgrade through the rating adjustment process. The higher rating will bring enhanced benefits compared to the A rating, including a greater exemption rate from customs inspections and bonus points in renewal reviews.
"We will continue to develop our AEO operational capabilities to global standards and strengthen our export competitiveness," a KT&G official said.
andy@heraldcorp.com
