Starting this month, Chinese consumers will be able to buy more Korean cosmetics online and have their items shipped home by sea, all while paying lower customs fees. Shoppers browse the cosmetics section at the Lotte Department Store in Tianjin, China.
Korean products will now be entering local Chinese markets through a larger number of shipping routes and across more segments of the economy.
Korean cosmetics, for example, which have become indispensable shopping items for Chinese tourists over the years, are now available in shopping malls and department stores in major cities in China. Such shops are working hard to meet the demand of their customers.
Recent years have also seen a growth in the online cosmetics market, with many younger Chinese shoppers buying their cosmetics online. Only one restriction remained: the high cost of air freight, which limited online purchases to high-end products.
In response to this, the Chinese government, under a joint agreement between 11 provincial governments, announced on April 8 that it will include cosmetics on its list of approved imported e-commerce goods. As a result, cosmetics purchased online are now eligible to be shipped by sea.
Thanks to these new measures, Chinese consumers will now be able to ship Korean cosmetics by sea for about 40 percent of the prior cost. Along with these regulations, customs fees for high-end cosmetics have been lowered from 50 percent to 32.9 percent.
Ginseng chicken soup, or samgyetang, has become ever more popular in China after it was featured in the hit drama 'Descendants of the Sun.' Packaged versions of this Korean export will hit Chinese shelves within the first half of 2016.
The Chinese fervor for all things Korean extends to the realm of cuisine, as well. When ginseng chicken soup, or samgyetang, made an appearance in the hit drama "Descendants of the Sun," the dish became even more popular among Chinese diners. Export routes are opening up for this beloved dish as we speak.
In accordance with quarantine and sanitation requirements agreed upon by Korea and China in October last year, 11 slaughterhouses and manufacturing sites in Korea have been registered and approved by Chinese officials. From these centers, packaged samgyetang dishes will be exported to China starting in the first half of this year.
By Lee Hana
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos: Jeon Han, Yonhap News
hlee10@korea.kr
