Korea, Uzbekistan implement customs protocol

Uzbekistan’s customs committee and Korea Customs Service officials agree for protocol amending the Uzbekistan-South Korea agreement on cooperation and mutual assistance in customs on Friday. (Uzbekistan’s Customs Committee)

A mutual protocol that requires South Korea and Uzbekistan to provide administrative assistance in customs matters to each other was put into effect as of Feb. 24.

The protocol, signed in September by top customs officials of the two countries, facilitates the exchange of mutual information on goods and vehicles transported across customs borders and enables cooperation in law enforcement to simplify the flow of goods between the two countries.

The protocol also aims to bolster bilateral cooperation in combating the trade of smuggled goods and products that violate intellectual property rights while streamlining customs procedures for greater efficiency.

The protocol follows a meeting between the chief of the Korea Customs Service Ko Kwang-hyo and his Uzbek counterpart Akmalkhuja Mavlonov in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

By Sanjay Kumar(sanjaykumar@heraldcorp.com)