Online duty-free sales will be expanded in a bid to shore up local duty-free businesses that suffered from reduced tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Korea Customs Service announced a set of measures in a meeting with duty-free businesses and related ministries in Seoul on Wednesday that will permit duty-free operators to sell on online platforms suich as Naver and Coupang from December.

Currently, duty-free operators are only allowed to sell on their own sites. 

Shoppers will also be able to place online orders with shops in the duty-free zone of international transit hubs. 

They can also pick up orders from outside shops at both the arrival and departure areas. This will begin as a pilot project at Busan Port from the first half of next year. 

The government has decided to revise regulations to allow online sales of duty-free liquor products.