Tariff preferences for Canadian exports to Korea

• As of January 1, 2024, 99% of Canada’s exports are eligible for duty-free access into Korea under the Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement (CKFTA).
• As a result of the CKFTA tariff preferences applicable on January 1, 2024, Canadian sweet cherries, snow crab, soybeans for soy sauce/cake, vodka, plywood, oriented strand board, particle board, and posts and beams benefit from duty-free access into Korea.
• For the vast majority of products still subject to duties in Korea (essentially all of which are agriculture and agri-food products), preferential tariff treatment is offered in the form of reduced tariffs. Tariffs are reduced on January 1 of each year until remaining duties for goods covered under the CKFTA are eliminated.
• Upon full implementation of the CKFTA on January 1, 2032, Korean tariffs will be eliminated on 99.75% of Canada’s exports.
• To benefit from tariff preferences in Korea, Canadian exporters must ensure goods meet applicable rules of origin. The importer must have a valid certificate of origin in her or his possession at the time of importation.

Note: Tariff information is provided for indicative purposes only. The tariff treatment of a good exported to Korea depends on its specific tariff classification as determined by the Korea Customs Service.

Consult the Canada Tariff Finder to explore tariff information for the Korean market under the CKFTA, and other foreign markets with which Canada has a free trade agreement.

Canadian exporters of the following goods to Korea benefit from the following tariff preferences under the CKFTA:

Table of contents 

• Alcoholic beverages
• Animal feed
• Beef
• Grains
• Oilseeds
• Pork
• Processed food products
• Pulses
• Fish and seafood
• Forest products
• Aerospace
• Automotive products
• Chemical products
• Clean technology
• Cosmetics
• Information and communication technologies
• Machinery and equipment
• Medical devices
• Metal products
• Pharmaceuticals
• Plastics
• Scientific instruments
• Textiles and apparel

Comments and questions on the CKFTA can be sent directly to our Trade Commissioner Service.

Alcoholic beverages

• Prior to the entry into force of the CKFTA in 2015, Korean duties on Canadian exports of alcoholic beverages were on average nearly 19%, with tariff peaks of 30%.
• All remaining Korean tariffs on Canadian alcoholic beverages were eliminated on January 1, 2024.

Animal feed

• Prior to the entry into force of the CKFTA in 2015, Korean duties on Canadian exports of animal feed were on average 24%, with a tariff peak of 100%.
• All remaining Korean tariffs on Canadian animal feed were eliminated on January 1, 2024.

Beef

• Prior to the entry into force of the CKFTA in 2015, Korean duties on Canadian exports of beef products were on average 35%, with a tariff peak of 89.1%.
• Korea will eliminate all tariffs and safeguard duties on beef products by 2030. 

Tariff preferences for key Canadian beef exports to Korea: 

• Tariffs were eliminated in 2015 for:
• Beef fat and tallow
• Live cattle
• Bovine embryos
• Fresh, chilled and frozen beef cuts – Tariffs and safeguard duties will be eliminated by 2030
• Beef offal – Tariff will be eliminated by 2025 

Grains

• Prior to the entry into force of the CKFTA in 2015, Korean duties on Canadian exports of grains were on average 185%, with tariff peaks of up to 513%.
• Korea will eliminate all tariffs and safeguard duties on grains by 2030. 

Tariff preferences for key Canadian grain exports to Korea:

• Tariffs were eliminated in 2015 for:
• Wheat
• Rye
• Tariff was eliminated in 2019 for wheat flour
• Malt and Barley
  • Duty-free tariff-rate quota
  • Tariff on imports over quota will be eliminated by 2026
  • Duty-free tariff-rate quota
  • Tariff and safeguard duties on imports over quota will be eliminated by 2030
• Malting barley – Tariff will be eliminated by 2029 
• Un-roasted malt:
• Un-hulled & naked barley:

Oilseeds

• Prior to the entry into force of the CKFTA in 2015, Korean duties on Canadian exports of oilseed products were on average nearly 50%, with tariff peaks of 487%.
• All Korean tariffs on Canadian oilseed were eliminated as of January 1, 2024, except with respect to imports of soybeans for human consumption over the CKFTA's duty-free tariff rate quota (TRQ) of 17,000 metric tonnes annually.

Pork

• Prior to the entry into force of the CKFTA in 2015, Korean duties on Canadian exports of pork products were on average 21%, with tariff peaks of 30%.
• Korea will eliminate all tariffs and safeguard duties on pork products by 2028. 

Tariff preferences for key Canadian pork exports to Korea: 

• Tariffs were eliminated in 2015 for:
• Pork fats and oils
• Swine embryos
• Pure bred live swine
• Tariff was eliminated in 2019 for pork offal
• Tariff was eliminated in 2020 on processed and prepared pork
• Fresh, chilled and frozen pork cuts – Tariffs and safeguard duties will be eliminated by 2028

Processed food products

• Prior to the entry into force of the CKFTA in 2015, Korean duties on Canadian exports of processed food products were 30.4% on average, with tariff peaks of 754.3%.
• Nearly all remaining Korean tariffs on Canadian processed food products were eliminated on January 1, 2024.

Tariff preferences for key Canadian processed food products exported to Korea: 

• Tariffs were eliminated in 2015 for most biscuits, cookies and crackers.
• Tariffs were eliminated in 2017 for:
• Bread
• Ship’s biscuits
• Pastries
• Cakes
• Tariffs were eliminated in 2019 for:
  • Hard candies
  • Chocolate and chocolate confectionary
  • Chewing gum
• Sweet biscuits
• Sugar confectionary:
• Tariffs were eliminated in 2021 for various dietary supplements and health food products

Pulses

• Prior to the entry into force of the CKFTA in 2015, Korean duties on Canadian exports of pulses were on average 162% with a tariff peak of 608%.
• Korea will eliminate all tariffs and safeguard duties on pulses by 2030. 

Tariff preferences for key Canadian pulses exports to Korea: 

• Tariffs were eliminated in 2015 for:
  • Pulse flour meal and powder
  • Pulse bran, sharps and other residues
• Tariff was eliminated in 2019 for lentils  
• Beans
  • Tariffs on kidney beans and white pea beans were eliminated on January 1, 2024
  • Small red (adzuki) beans:
    • Duty-free tariff-rate quota
    • Tariff and safeguard duties will be eliminated by 2030

Fish and seafood

• Prior to the entry into force of the CKFTA in 2015, Korean duties on Canadian exports of fish and seafood were on average 17% and could reach up to 27%.
• Nearly all Canadian fish and seafood exports are eligible to enter Korea duty-free.
• Korea will eliminate all remaining customs duties on fish and seafood by 2026.

Tariff preferences for major Canadian fish and seafood exports to Korea: 

• Tariffs were eliminated in 2015 for:
• Salmon
• Sea urchins
• Tariffs were eliminated in 2017 for:
• Lobster
• Certain types and species of crab
• Snow (Queen) crab – Tariff was eliminated on January 1, 2024
• Shrimp and prawns
• Prepared shrimp and prawns – Tariff was eliminated in 2019
• Coldwater or northern shrimp – Tariff was eliminated in 2019
• Frozen hagfish – Tariff eliminated in 2021
• Clams, shells and other aquatic invertebrates
• Frozen or prepared cockles – Tariffs were eliminated on January 1, 2024
• Prepared molluscs and aquatic invertebrates – Tariffs were eliminated in 2019 
• Tariffs on skate and Alaska pollock were eliminated on January 1, 2024

Forest products

• Prior to the entry into force of the CKFTA in 2015, Korean duties on Canadian dutiable exports of forest products were on average nearly 3%, with a tariff peak of 10%.
• All remaining Korean tariffs on Canadian forest products were eliminated on January 1, 2024.

Aerospace

• Prior to the entry into force of the CKFTA in 2015, Korean duties on Canadian dutiable exports of aerospace products were on average 6%, with a tariff peak of 8%.
• All Canadian exports of aerospace products to Korea have been eligible for duty-free treatment since 2015. 

Automotive products

• Prior to the entry into force of the CKFTA in 2015, Korean duties on Canadian dutiable exports of automotive products, including passenger vehicles, automotive parts and tires, were on average 8%, with a tariff peak of 10%.
• All Canadian exports of passenger vehicles and automotive parts to Korea have been eligible for duty-free treatment since 2015 and Canadian exports of tires since 2017. 

Chemical products

• Prior to the entry into force of the CKFTA in 2015, Korean duties on Canadian dutiable exports of chemical products were on average 6.1%, with tariff peaks of 8%.
• All Canadian exports of chemical products to Korea have been eligible for duty-free treatment since 2019. 

Clean technology

• Prior to the entry into force of the CKFTA in 2015, Korean duties on Canadian dutiable exports of clean technology products averaged 7.5%, with tariff peaks of 13%.
• All Canadian exports of clean technology to Korea, such as wind and solar generators and waste to energy combustion systems, have been eligible for duty-free treatment since 2019. 

Cosmetics

• Prior to the entry into force of the CKFTA in 2015, Korean duties on Canadian dutiable exports of cosmetics were 6.5%.
• All Canadian exports of cosmetics to Korea have been eligible for duty-free treatment since 2019. 

Information and communication technologies

• Prior to the entry into force of the CKFTA in 2015, Korean duties on Canadian dutiable exports of information and communication technologies were on average 8%, with a tariff peak of 13%.
• All Canadian exports of information and communication technologies to Korea have been eligible for duty-free treatment since 2015. 

Machinery and equipment

• Prior to the entry into force of the CKFTA in 2015, Korean duties on Canadian dutiable exports of machinery and equipment were on average 8%, with a tariff peak of 13%.
• All Canadian exports of machinery and equipment to Korea have been eligible for duty-free treatment since 2017. 

Medical devices

• Prior to the entry into force of the CKFTA in 2015, Korean duties on Canadian dutiable exports of medical devices were 8%.
• All remaining Korean tariffs on Canadian medical devices were eliminated on January 1, 2024.

Metal products

• Prior to the entry into force of the CKFTA in 2015, Korean duties on Canadian dutiable exports of metal products were on average 6%, with a tariff peak of 8%.
• All Canadian exports of metal products to Korea have been eligible for duty-free treatment since 2015. 

Pharmaceuticals

• Prior to the entry into force of the CKFTA in 2015, Korean duties on Canadian dutiable exports of pharmaceuticals were 8%.
• All Canadian exports of pharmaceuticals to Korea have been eligible for duty-free treatment since 2019. 

Plastics

• Prior to the entry into force of the CKFTA in 2015, all plastic products exported to Korea were dutiable at 6.5% on average, with tariff peaks of 8%.
• All Canadian exports of plastics to Korea have been eligible for duty-free treatment since 2019.

Scientific instruments

• Prior to the entry into force of the CKFTA in 2015, Korean duties on Canadian dutiable exports of scientific instruments were 8%.
• All Canadian exports of scientific instruments to Korea, such as laboratory equipment, have been eligible for duty-free treatment since 2017.

Textiles and apparel

• Prior to the entry into force of the CKFTA in 2015, Korean duties on Canadian dutiable exports of textiles and material were on average 10%, with a tariff peak of 13%.
• All Canadian exports of textiles and apparel to Korea have been eligible for duty-free treatment since 2017.