📦 How to send a package from Korea to overseas

Have you ever wanted to send gifts you picked out in Korea to your parents but postponed it because you didn’t know where or how to send them? 🎁

You might feel uncertain about how much the shipping fee will be, how to write the address in English, or whether you can send the gifts you've prepared.

Sometimes, you may hesitate to ask your family to send something from Korea because you don’t know your English address.

VIVISA will guide you step by step, from choosing an international postal service, comparing rates, to writing and submitting your English address! ✨

Rates are based on the official announcement/inquiry as of October 23, 2026.

✈️ Comparing EMS, Air Parcel, & Surface Parcel

If you need fast delivery, check EMS first; if you have more time, compare the prices of Air Parcel and Surface Parcel together.

In the EMS rate inquiry, Vietnam is shown as 3-4 days, China as 3-4 days, and Thailand as 2-3 days for estimated delivery.

Customs inspection, local holidays, and delivery areas can add to the time, so for items with fixed dates like birthdays or return to home, send them with some margin.

For Air or Surface Parcels, the destination country may not provide delivery information.

Check first the availability and shipping conditions for your destination country, then compare the rates for the service you want to use.

💰 International postal rates by country and weight

There are different rates for documents and goods in international post.

When sending goods like clothes or gifts, select ‘Non-document’ in the rate inquiry.

Below are the rates for a box sized 20×15×10cm, with the weight in each column including the packaging.

Insurance, pick-up service, box cost, and receiving country’s taxes are separate. Smart submission discount is applied before discount.

When sending to Vietnam: Compare the three services

The difference between Air Parcel and Surface Parcel for a 2kg box is 400 KRW.

In this case, it’s better to also consider the long shipping time of Surface Parcel before choosing.

When sending 2kg to other countries

For 2kg to Thailand, EMS is 1,000 KRW cheaper than Air Parcel.

👉 When comparing rates, set same country and box conditions.

For the Philippines, the inquiry screen shows a notice that delivery may be delayed by more than 10 days, so set your sending schedule generously.

Air Parcel rates include an additional transport charge.

Since July 1, 2026, for EMS non-document, the basic rate and additional transport charge are combined, so don’t add the previous surcharge to the current inquiry amount.

Rates for other countries/weights can be checked at the Post Office International Postal Rate Calculator.

📏 Delivery charges vary by size and weight

Even light goods can take up a lot of space if the box is large.

So for EMS and Air Parcel, the fee is calculated using the actual weight or the ‘volume weight’, whichever is greater.

Volume weight is the weight converted from the space the box occupies.

Width(cm) × Length(cm) × Height(cm) ÷ 6,000 = Volume weight(kg)

For example, if the box including packaging is 2kg and its size is 50×40×30cm, its volume weight is 10kg.

In this case, it is charged according to the 10kg rate, not the 2kg rate.

Include cushioning so items do not move, but avoid boxes much larger than the contents.

💡 For lightweight, bulky items like clothes and dolls, measure the box size too and check the rates.

🎁 Check items before sending as gifts

International mail is subject to both safety standards during transport and import regulations at the destination country.

You need to check both Korea Post's transport standards and the destination country's import standards.

Even if marked as a ‘gift’, you cannot send dangerous goods or prohibited items to the destination.

For example, the Vietnam EMS notice lists used goods · electronics · prescription medicine as prohibited items.

If you send used clothes or a mobile phone when returning home, do not pack as you would for a new gift.

For food, cosmetics, and medicine, don't just ask with product names; provide country of destination, product name, ingredients/volume, quantity, and battery presence together.

Show a product packaging photo at the post office and explain both the item and route, like “I want to send this to Vietnam by EMS.”

Standards by item can be found at Post Office: Items that can/cannot be sent and Vietnam EMS Shipping Conditions.

📍 Writing English Address and Postal Code

Both recipient and sender addresses are needed for international mail.

The recipient address is where the item will arrive; the sender address is where undeliverable items will be returned.

When sending overseas from Korea, write your Korean address as the sender; when receiving from family abroad, write it as the recipient.

① Search for English address and postal code using the Korean address.

Do not translate road names/building names directly, but use the English address shown on Ministry of Interior and Safety Address Information Website.

1. Type the Korean road address or building name in the search bar. If the address is unfamiliar, prepare the address from your rental contract or dorm info.

2. Check if the city/county/district and building number in the result match your actual residence.

3. Press the ‘English’ button for the result and copy both the English address and 5-digit postal code.

4. Check if your dong/floor/room number is included, and add any missing details.

For example, searching ‘110 Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul’ (address of Seoul City Hall), you get 110 Sejong-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul and postal code 04524.

This is an example of a public institution used to demonstrate the search method; for actual shipping, search and use your own address.

💡 If the postal code starts with 0, write all five digits, including the leading 0.

② Add your detailed address to the searched building address.

Because many people live in the same building, just the road address may not specify which room.

For apartments write dong & unit; for one-rooms, unit; for dorms, building & room number.

For example, ‘101동 502호’ can be written as 101-dong, 502-ho, and ‘302호’ as 302-ho.

If you only searched the school address, add the dorm's mail receipt address and building name/room number given by the dormitory.

③ Give your address, name, and contact info together to overseas family.

If you only tell them the English address, your family might have to ask about the postal code or room number separately.

If you organize the following items at once, it is easier to copy to a postal application.

If writing the address in multiple lines, arrange them as follows.

If the application form splits the address, write building number/road in Address Line 1, dong/unit etc. in Address Line 2, and city/postal code/country in the separate fields.