In South Korea, post offices can be recognized by their red sign with a distinctive logo that represents swallows (birds). They are open from 09:00 until 17:00 in winter and until 18:00 the rest of the year.
They are closed on weekends and holidays so if you want to send a package make sure you check their schedule in advance.
Either send boxes full of goods to save space in luggage, or send souvenirs and gifts to friends and relatives, delivery, like many other things in Korea, is extremely simple, accessible, and convenient. In this article, we will show you the step-by-step process of how you can send packages from South Korea abroad and inside the country.
Sending packages abroad
For starters, it's important to know what options you have. You can choose from the following three options that are listed below the fastest and most expensive to the slowest and cheapest.
1. EMS
It offers the advantage of international tracking, is the fastest delivery option abroad and the safest delivery option - your package will arrive in good condition. With this variant, it is allowed to ship over 30 kg per package. But it is also the most expensive option - it can cost three or more than the price of sending normal or surface mail.
2. Airmail
Air Mail is the intermediate option between EMS and Surface Mail. Shipping takes longer than EMS while being slightly cheaper. You can expect a shipment of two weeks depending on where you send the package.
3. Surface mail (boat/ship)
Although it is the cheapest delivery option, it can take months to reach your destination. It's also the riskiest option, as it can be damaged by water if there are accidents, and tracking your package is not available.
Prices
If you want an estimate of the cost of your package, you can go to the official website and then navigate to the International Mail Guide, where you can view a chart of delivery charges. The price will depend on the country as well as the method of dispatch.
How do we send a package?
1. Go to your local post office to begin the process.
The first thing you will need is a box to ship your things. The boxes are available in a range of sizes, with 1 being the smallest and 6 being the largest.
There are two ways you can pack your box:
- The best option is if the post office is at a convenient distance, the package is light
or you have a car - you can pick up a flat box, assemble it at home, and bring it back
stuffed.
- The second option is to bring your stuff to the post office and fill the box with articles on the spot. This is recommended if the box is heavy and you do not have the means to carry it easily. If you opt for the second option, you will be delighted to know that the post office is equipped with everything you need, from scissors to tape, bubble wrap, glue, and pen, completely free to use.
A few things to consider when choosing and packing the box would be that you need to use official boxes available at the post office as no other boxes are allowed. Be sure that you check your country's travel restrictions before choosing the size of the box and packing it. Some countries have a limit on the size and weight of the box and may refuse the package at the border if these limitations are not met. When sending by surface mail, the largest size you can ship is size 5 and it must weigh less than
20 kg. A box of size 6 can only be shipped by air.
2. After sorting your box, take a number to keep your place in the queue. You can fill out the form while you wait for your number to be called.
Each shipping method will have its own appropriate form. Make sure you complete the correct one or you will have to do it again.
When you're done, don't stick it on the package, because the official must fill in the details through the computer before doing so.
The forms listed in 1 to 6 are for the following: domestic parcels, Air / EMS for documents, surface form (with insurance), and Air / EMS form for goods.
~ Writing the Korean address ~
The Korean address system can be a little difficult to navigate. To complete the Korean address of reference, start with the specifics, such as the name of the street, followed by the house number and street number.
Then comes the more general information - city and province. Last comes the zip code, which is a
5-digit district number. If you don't know what your zip code is, you can look it up on the site provided by e-post. You will need to enter the city, street name, and building number, then select the correct address from the filtered results (for the online method).
3. After completing the appropriate form, go to the clerk after your number has been displayed or shouted out.
From now on, it's pretty simple. You can expect the following things: the officer will ask you if you have restricted items in the package, the package will be weighed, you will be asked if you want your package to be insured (usually if you send a package through the surface, it will ask you what you would like to do if there are any problems with the delivery (for example, if your package is lost in transit). Usually, the insurance should be higher or at least as much as the value of the parcel.
Then everything is done!
Sending a package in the country or locally
The steps are exactly the same, except that you still have a few options, such as: sending through the application of the post office, pick-up service from your home, private delivery services, and delivery services from GS25 or CU. The national post office has the cheapest delivery prices.
For the local submission options through the mail, the steps are exactly the same as above, only the form will be different. For sending through GS25 or CU check out the article about those two. Prices usually start at around 4,500 KRW.
Sending a package here is convenient and can also be done from your door. It is also cheap and fast!
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