April 28, 2024

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Korea Customs Service Commissioner Ko Kwang-hyo (3rd from L) holds a meeting with Stefan Bogoev (2nd from R), chief of the customs office of North Macedonia. (Yonhap)

South Korea has launched a project to establish an automated customs clearance system in North Macedonia to advance the European nation's customs administration system and boost bilateral relations, Seoul's customs agency said Monday.

Korea Customs Service (KCS) Commissioner Ko Kwang-hyo met with his counterpart of the European nation, Stefan Bogoev, in the city of Skopje on Friday and held a ceremony to mark the launch of the customs administration modernization project.

The project aims to establish a customs data warehouse system that integrates and manages data on customs clearance, shipping, travelers and other relevant information, as well as a risk management system, with a goal to make it available in 2026.

The 4.75 million project will be conducted as a form of South Korea's official development assistance program (ODA), the KCS said.

South Korea operates its own e-clearance "uni-pass" system based on the country's advanced IT technology and decadeslong experiences and know-how.

During the meeting, Ko proposed forging a bilateral customs mutual assistance agreement to better handle customs clearance issues and enhance bilateral cooperation.

Ko also paid a courtesy call on North Macedonia's President Stevo Pendarovski, according to the agency. (Yonhap)