Question 1

Are nicotine e-cigarettes and zero-nicotine products treated differently?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Nicotine-containing products fall under the Tobacco Business Act. Zero-nicotine products may be classified differently.

Question 2

What product testing is required?

Accepted Answer

Importers must request ingredient testing of products on sale every quarter, within 1 month from the start of the quarter, from a testing body designated by the Minister of Economy and Finance, and must show the nicotine solution volume and health warnings on packaging.

Question 3

We have been importing synthetic nicotine liquids into Korea. Do imports after April 2026 now require registration?

Accepted Answer

The amended definition of tobacco applies from cases where tobacco is shipped out of a manufacturing site or declared for import under the Customs Act (관세법) after it took effect on April 24, 2026. To sell products declared for import after that date, you need tobacco import and sales business registration. The synthetic nicotine liquid is declared for import after the effective date: Register with the Mayor or Provincial Governor for the head office location using the supply contract with the foreign manufacturer, and file the sales price report. The nicotine product is designated as a pharmaceutical or quasi-drug under the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act: It is excluded from tobacco, so follow the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act procedures. Documents: Tobacco import and sales business registration application, 1 copy of the supply contract Timeline: Registration review varies by city or province / Sales price report at least 6 days before sales begin

Question 4

Do we need tobacco import and sales business registration in Korea to import zero-nicotine e-liquids?

Accepted Answer

Under the Tobacco Business Act, tobacco is a product made wholly or partly from tobacco leaf or nicotine, so whether registration applies is decided by the liquid's raw ingredients. If the ingredients contain tobacco leaf or nicotine, registration is required. The ingredients contain nicotine or tobacco leaf components: It is treated as tobacco, so proceed with tobacco import and sales business registration and the sales price report. The manufacturer's documents show no tobacco leaf or nicotine is used as a raw ingredient: Obtain the ingredient documents to determine whether it meets the definition of tobacco, and review obligations under other laws separately for each item. Documents: Manufacturer's ingredient documents, product specifications Timeline: After the product is classified, the processing period of the relevant procedure applies

Question 5

What registration do we need in Korea to import heated tobacco devices together with their dedicated sticks?

Accepted Answer

Sticks and cartridges made from tobacco leaf or nicotine are tobacco and require tobacco import and sales business registration. Other obligations for the device itself, such as radio equipment certification, differ by item and proceed separately from registration. You import products made from tobacco leaf or nicotine, such as sticks and cartridges: Sign a supply contract with the foreign manufacturer and register a tobacco import and sales business with the Mayor or Provincial Governor. You import only the devices: Devices are not products made from tobacco leaf or nicotine, so review separately for each item whether the definition of tobacco applies and what device-related obligations apply. Documents: Tobacco import and sales business registration application, 1 copy of the supply contract, product composition documents Timeline: Registration review depends on the competent city or province's review and whether supplementation is needed

Question 6

Are smoking cessation aids such as nicotine patches and gum subject to tobacco import and sales business registration like e-cigarettes?

Accepted Answer

The Tobacco Business Act expressly excludes pharmaceuticals and quasi-drugs under the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act from tobacco. Cessation aids designated as pharmaceuticals or quasi-drugs fall under the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, and other nicotine inhalation products fall under the Tobacco Business Act; the two are mutually exclusive. The product is designated as a pharmaceutical or quasi-drug: Follow the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act procedures, not tobacco import and sales business registration. It is a nicotine inhalation product that is not a pharmaceutical or quasi-drug: It is treated as tobacco, so register a tobacco import and sales business. Documents: Product classification documents Timeline: Once the applicable law is determined, its processing period applies

Question 7

What documents do we prepare for an e-cigarette import license in Korea? Do we need proof of capital?

Accepted Answer

The statutory attachment is 1 copy of the supply contract signed with a foreign tobacco manufacturer. The tobacco import and sales business has no capital, office floor area or storage facility requirements. You are applying for registration: Attach 1 copy of the supply contract to the tobacco import and sales business registration application and submit it to the Mayor or Provincial Governor for the head office location. You also want to run a wholesale business: Set up tobacco storage facilities and separately register a tobacco wholesale business with the city mayor, county head or district head. Documents: Tobacco import and sales business registration application, 1 copy of the supply contract signed with a foreign tobacco manufacturer Timeline: Registration review depends on the competent city or province's review and whether supplementation is needed

Question 8

Before working out the cost of an e-cigarette import license in Korea, what obligations after registration should we plan for?

Accepted Answer

After registration come the sales price report, labeling of warnings, nicotine solution volume and import declaration date, and quarterly ingredient testing requests. Failing to report sales prices or to request ingredient testing is subject to a fine of up to KRW 2 million. You are about to make your first sale: Report sales prices by product to the Mayor or Provincial Governor at least 6 days before sales begin and publish them. You are continuing sales: Each quarter, within 1 month from the start of the quarter, request ingredient testing by product from a designated testing body. Documents: Sales price report, labeling materials, ingredient testing request documents Timeline: Statutory: sales price report at least 6 days before sales begin, ingredient testing requested within 1 month from the start of each quarter

Question 9

How long does an e-cigarette import license in Korea take, and when can we start selling?

Accepted Answer

The registration review period depends on the competent city or province's review and whether supplementation is needed, and after registration you can sell only once you have reported sales prices at least 6 days before sales begin. The city or province notifies related agencies such as the Commissioner of the Korea Customs Service within 7 days of registration. The supply contract and disqualification check are complete: Proceed in this order: registration application → registration certificate → sales price report → sales after customs clearance. It is unclear whether the product counts as tobacco: First complete the classification using ingredient documents, then apply. Documents: Tobacco import and sales business registration application, 1 copy of the supply contract, sales price report Timeline: Statutory: sales price report at least 6 days before sales begin, related agencies notified within 7 days / In practice, the registration review period varies by city or province

Question 10

What must be labeled on the container when importing nicotine liquids into Korea?

Accepted Answer

Liquid-type tobacco must show the nicotine solution volume instead of smoke constituents, and tobacco made from nicotine must show on the packaging the date it was declared for import under the Customs Act. Health warnings are also required, and misleading wording that downplays the risks cannot be used. It is a liquid product: Show the nicotine solution volume, import declaration date and health warnings on the container and packaging. It is a liquid-type product, not a tobacco that is lit and smoked: The fire-safety performance standards for tobacco that is lit and smoked do not apply. Documents: Labeling materials (health warnings, nicotine solution volume, import declaration date) Timeline: Complete the labeling before sale

Question 11

Can we import e-liquids and sell them through an online shop in Korea?

Accepted Answer

Importers sell to wholesalers or retailers, and only those with retailer designation can sell to consumers. Even designated retailers cannot sell to consumers by mail order or electronic transactions. You want to sell directly to consumers online: Selling by electronic transaction is prohibited and subject to a fine of up to KRW 5 million, so change your sales channel. You sold to consumers without retailer designation: This is punishable by imprisonment of up to 6 months or a fine of up to KRW 5 million. Documents: Retailer designation application, proof of the right to use the store (for offline sales) Timeline: Statutory: retailer designation 7 days (extendable by 4 days if unavoidable)

Question 12

We run an e-cigarette shop that has been selling nicotine liquids. What if the distance rule makes retailer designation difficult?

Accepted Answer

The supplementary provisions of the amended Act allow that, for a person who was selling tobacco under the new definition at the time of promulgation and applied for retailer designation before the effective date, the distance standards may be waived until 2 years from the effective date, on condition that only tobacco under the new definition is sold. You were designated under the special provision: You must meet the distance standard between outlets by the end of the 2 years; if you do not, the designation is deemed cancelled. You sold conventional tobacco (cigarettes, etc.) during the special period: The city mayor, county head or district head must cancel the retailer designation. Documents: Retailer designation application, proof of the right to use the store Timeline: Statutory: special provision for 2 years from the effective date, retailer designation 7 days (extendable by 4 days)

Question 13

What license do we need to make e-liquids ourselves in Korea instead of importing them?

Accepted Answer

Domestic manufacturing requires a tobacco manufacturing licence from the Minister of Economy and Finance. For liquid-type tobacco, the standards are capital of KRW 10 billion or more, integrated process facilities with annual capacity of 400,000 liters or more, 5 or more staff with 3 or more years of experience, laboratory equipment for ingredient analysis, and a hazardous chemical manufacturing or use business permit. You bring in a foreign manufacturer's products: Proceed with tobacco import and sales business registration, not a manufacturing licence. You manufacture both liquid-type and other tobacco: You need capital of KRW 30 billion or more and must meet each set of facility and quality control standards. Documents: Tobacco manufacturing licence application documents (capital, facilities, staffing and quality control materials) Timeline: Depends on the Ministry of Economy and Finance's review

Question 14

If we hire an administrative agent for an e-cigarette import license in Korea, what exactly do they handle?

Accepted Answer

We handle document review of whether the product is tobacco, disqualification checks, review of the supply contract attachment requirements, preparation of the registration application and filing with the city or province, sales price reports, ingredient testing schedule management, and retailer designation applications. We do not handle import customs clearance (import declarations), assessments of whether product ingredients or labeling comply, or building systems to prevent sales to minors. You are starting to import for the first time: We prepare the registration application, file it with the city or province for your head office, and respond to supplementation requests. You need post-registration management: We prepare and file sales price reports, change registration such as supplier changes, and retailer designation documents. Documents: Letter of authorization, tobacco import and sales business registration application, copy of the supply contract Timeline: Registration review depends on the competent city or province's review and whether supplementation is needed

E-Cigarette Import Registration

E-cigarette import license agent in Korea — services handled by YouSun Administrative Agency