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Fake Sulwhasoo, Gentle Monster goods caught in crackdown on counterfeit Korean products

Published: 27 Jan. 2026, 15:03

Counterfeit items imitating Korean brands caught by Korean customs authorities in 2025 are pictured. [KOREA CUSTOMS SERVICE]

Korea’s customs authorities seized nearly 117,000 counterfeit goods last year, many of them fake cosmetics, toys and electronics riding the global popularity of Korean brands and pop culture, officials said Tuesday.

The Korea Customs Service said the seizures resulted from a yearlong border crackdown aimed at blocking the inflow and domestic distribution of counterfeit products. Officials found fake goods in both general cargo and express shipments, reflecting a rise in small parcels tied to overseas direct purchases.

China accounted for 97.7 percent of the seized items, while Vietnam made up 2.2 percent, the agency said.

By product category, cosmetics represented the largest share at 36 percent, followed by toys and stationery at 33 percent.

The counterfeit items violated the intellectual property rights of a wide range of Korean brands, including cosmetics labels such as Sulwhasoo, Beauty of Joseon and 3CE, as well as apparel and accessories brands including Mardi Mercredi, Gentle Monster and Marithé François Girbaud.

Other seized goods included counterfeit character dolls, key rings, electronic storage devices, home appliances and industrial components bearing the brand logos of Kakao Friends, HYBE's BTS, Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics and HD Hyundai.

The Korea Customs Service said it plans to step up cooperation with overseas authorities to curb the trade. Earlier this month, it signed a memorandum of understanding with China to strengthen cooperation in protecting intellectual property at the border and said it would move ahead with follow-up measures.

The agency also said it would conduct on-site investigations into logistics networks in countries with high levels of counterfeit activity, expand information sharing with foreign customs authorities and establish a public-private consultative body involving Korean brand companies to gather industry input.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JEONG JAE-HONG [[email protected]]