Customs code theft surges 4.4-fold in two years, exploited for drug smuggling

The personal customs code required for overseas direct purchases — used on platforms such as Temu — is increasingly being stolen, with suspected cases jumping roughly 4.4-fold over the past two years. Customs officials say the codes are being exploited for drug smuggling and tax evasion.

According to Yonhap, the number of suspected personal customs code theft reports filed with the Korea Customs Service jumped from 16,355 in 2023 to 24,741 in 2024 and 71,440 last year.

That marks a roughly 4.4-fold increase in just two years. So far this year, 33,545 cases had already been reported through August.

The personal customs code is a number used in place of a resident registration number to identify individuals when overseas purchases clear customs. If leaked, it can be misused during the customs clearance process for cross-border shipments.

The Korea Customs Service said cases of criminals stealing others' personal customs codes to evade taxes or smuggle drugs have been rising alongside the broader surge in overseas direct purchases.

In response, the agency launched a pilot e-commerce customs platform on Aug. 28 that includes features designed to prevent customs code theft.

It also introduced a system requiring buyers to enter a one-time verification code — sent by email or text message alongside their personal customs code — for each transaction when making overseas purchases.

One complicating factor is that even when a personal customs code has been stolen, it is often difficult to pinpoint where the personal information was leaked.

"It is hard to know through what channel the theft occurred," a Korea Customs Service official said. "Given the sharp rise in overseas direct purchases recently, the leak could have come through a foreign platform, or it may have originated domestically."

Experts stress that to prevent secondary harm from personal data breaches, individuals must not only rely on protective measures by the government and data processors, but also check whether their own information has been compromised and take prompt action.

"The government and data processors must be careful to prevent personal information from being leaked, but it is equally important for individuals to act quickly — such as changing their customs code immediately — once they confirm their information has been exposed," said Choi Kyung-jin, a law professor at Gachon University.