Seldons
Export pricing calculator for South Korea
A cosmetics & skincare product costing ₩18,000 to make and weighing 0.3kg lands in South Korea at about $27.14 once freight, duty and VAT are paid. To keep a 45% margin after marketplace fees, price it at ₩112,000.
Knowing your landed cost does not give you a price. This works from what the product costs to make and what it weighs, through duty, VAT and freight, to a number you can actually put on the page in KRW — rounded the way South Korea prices things.
The duty rate is set by your HS code, not the category. Don't know it? Estimate it from your product page
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What South Korea charges on imports
| Import tax | VAT 10% |
|---|---|
| Duty-free threshold | $150 · USD 150 for most origins, USD 200 for goods from the United States under the KORUS agreement. |
| Rate used | 1 USD = 1,377 KRW · 2026-08-31 · open.er-api.com (ECB·중앙은행 집계) |
| Price convention | 1,000 ₩ |
Defaults as of 2026-08. Duty rates, thresholds and exchange rates change, and freight depends on your carrier contract — every field here can be edited. Source: Korea Customs Service
What actually differs about selling into South Korea
- Coupang, Naver Smart Store and 11st lead. Coupang's commission runs 4–11% but its fulfilment terms move margin more than the rate does.
- Delivery expectations are the tightest on this list. Next-day is normal and slower shipping is treated as a defect in reviews.
- The US FTA raises the duty-free threshold to USD 200 for goods of US origin, against USD 150 elsewhere.
What each target margin costs the customer
| Target margin | Retail price | Profit per unit | Actual margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30% | ₩80,000 | $16.18 | 30.6% |
| 35% | ₩88,000 | $20.51 | 35.3% |
| 40% | ₩98,000 | $25.93 | 40.1% |
| 45% | ₩112,000 | $33.51 | 45.3% |
| 50% | ₩129,000 | $42.71 | 50.1% |
| 55% | ₩153,000 | $55.71 | 55.1% |
What weight does to the price
| Weight | Freight | Landed cost | Retail price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 kg | $12.70 | $25.74 | ₩106,000 |
| 0.3 kg | $14.10 | $27.14 | ₩112,000 |
| 0.5 kg | $15.50 | $28.54 | ₩117,000 |
| 1 kg | $19 | $32.04 | ₩132,000 |
| 2 kg | $26 | $39.04 | ₩160,000 |
| 5 kg | $47 | $60.04 | ₩246,000 |
Duty rates into South Korea by category
| Category | Typical duty |
|---|---|
| Cosmetics & skincare | 6.5% |
| Apparel | 13% |
| Footwear | 13% |
| Consumer electronics | 8% |
| Home & kitchen | 8% |
| Supplements | 8% |
| Toys | 8% |
| Jewellery | 8% |
Typical rates for consumer goods. The rate that applies to your product is set by its HS code, not its category — confirm yours before you commit to a price.
The same product in other markets
| Market | Freight | Landed cost | Retail price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | $14.10 | $27.14 | ¥13,000 |
| Singapore | $14.10 | $27.14 | S$101.90 |
| China | $14.10 | $28.50 | ¥587 |
| United States | $21.30 | $34.34 | $92.99 |
| Canada | $21.30 | $34.34 | C$135.99 |
Same factory cost, same weight, same target margin. Freight differs by lane, so landed cost and price do too.
Questions people ask
How do I price a product for South Korea?
Start from what it costs you to make and what it weighs. Add freight for that weight, duty at your HS rate, and VAT where it applies — that is your landed cost. Divide by one minus your target margin and fees, convert to KRW, then round to what South Korea shoppers expect to see. This calculator does all of it.
Does weight really change the retail price?
On small parcels it dominates. On this page a 0.1kg unit and a 2kg unit differ by ₩54,000 at the same margin, because freight is charged per kilo and small shipments carry a fixed base fee. Bulky-but-light products are charged on volumetric weight instead.
Is there a duty-free threshold for South Korea?
The threshold is $150. USD 150 for most origins, USD 200 for goods from the United States under the KORUS agreement.
Why is the recommended price not a round number?
It is rounded to the convention of the market. South Korea prices land on 1,000 ₩, so the calculator rounds up to the nearest one rather than showing a raw figure nobody would put on a page.