WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/COMTD/N/12
22 March 2000
(00-1183)
Committee on Trade and Development Original:  English
PREFERENTIAL TARIFF TREATMENT FOR
LEAST-DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
Notification from Korea
The following communication dated 26 January 2000 has been received from the Permanent
Mission of Korea with the request that it be distributed to all WTO Members.
_______________
The Korean Government has completed the legislation process to lift tariffs on 80 items
(HS 6-digit) originating in least-developed countries from 1 January 2000.  In the High-Level Meeting
on Integrated Initiatives for Least-Developed Countries' Trade Development held on 27-28 October1997, the Korean representative announced that his government had decided to grant preferential
duty-free access to various products which were of major export interest to least-developed countries
if the new legal basis allowing developing country Members to unilaterally grant preferential
treatment to those countries would be established (WT/LDC/HL/M/1) paragraphs 30-32).  The
General Council adopted on 15 June 1999, a decision providing such legal basis (WT/L/304).  As
required by the decision, I hereby notify the Presidential Decree on Preferential Tariff for
Least-Developed Countries which includes the lists of products and countries to which preferentialtariff treatment is applied.
This measure is part of an effort on the part of the Korean Government to further promote
trade and economic cooperation with developing countries.WT/COMTD/N/12
Page 2
(PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 16653)
PRESIDENTIAL DECREE ON PREFERENTIAL TARIFF FOR
LEAST-DEVELOPED COUNTRIES1
Article 1
Purpose
The purpose of the Decree is to govern the granting of preferential tariff to least-developed
countries in accordance with Paragraph 3 of Article 43-17 of the Customs Law.
Article 2
Definition
"Least-developed countries" in this Decree refer to countries specified in Annex I.
Article 3
Products and Tariff Rates
Products eligible for preferential tariff and the rates are specified in Annex II.  In case of
products eligible for minimum market access (MMA) under the Presidential Decree on Tariff
Concessions Granted Pursuant to the World Trade Organization Agreement and Other Agreements,
preferential tariffs apply only to in-quota amount.
Article 4
Remedy for Injury to Domestic Industries
1. In cases where a sharp increase in the import of products eligible for preferential tariff causes
or threaten to cause serious injury to domestic industries which produce like products, or directly
competitive or substitutable products, for the purpose of protecting the domestic industries, therelevant Ministry or interested person may request the Minister of Finance and Economy to suspend
the application of preferential tariffs to the product in question.
2. When the relevant Ministry or an interested person wishes to request the Minister of Finance
and Economy to suspend the application of preferential tariff pursuant to paragraph 1, the followinginformation or documents shall be submitted to the Ministry of Finance and Economy.
(a) HS code number, description, size, use and substitutable products.
(b) Materials used in producing the product and documents explaining the use and the
manufacturing process of the products produced using the product in question asinput.
(c) Records of demand and supply of the product for the previous 1 year and forecast of
the demand and supply for the following 1 year.
                                                     
1 This is the unofficial English translation from Korean text. In the case of doubt or discrepancy in
translation, the Korean text shall prevail.WT/COMTD/N/12
Page 3
(d) Monthly records of import price and amount by countries for the latest 1 year.
(e) Monthly factory prices of the product and sales performance by domestic producers
for the latest 1 year.
(f) Description of injuries to domestic industries and the period for the suspension of
preferential tariffs.
(g) Other information to prove that serious injuries are caused to domestic industries or
there exists a threat to cause serious injuries to domestic industries.
3. The Minister of Finance and Economy shall examine whether there are reasons to suspend the
application of preferential tariffs within 15 days from the date on which the request is made according
to paragraph 1, unless there is a special reason for delay.
4. When it is determined as the result of examin ation provided in paragraph 3 that there are
reasons to suspend the application of preferential tariffs, the Minister of Finance and Economy shall
decide the suspension of application of preferential tariff immediately and announce its decision in a
Ministerial Ordinance.
5. The suspension of the application of preferential tariff shall go into effect from the date on
which the Ministerial Ordinance is released in accordance with paragraph 4.
Article 5
Rules of Origin
1. Products eligible for preferential tariff shall be wholly produced or obtained in the exporting
country.  The following products shall be considered as wholly produced or obtained in the exporting
country:
(a) Raw or mineral products extracted from soil, waters or seabeds of the exporting
country;
(b) Agricultural and forestry products harvested in the exporting country;
(c) Animals born and raised in the exporting country and products obtained from such
animals;
(d) Products obtained by hunting or fishing conducted in the exporting country;
(e) Marine products caught in high seas by vessels of the exporting country and products
manufactured or processed, using such products as a material. In this case, "vessels of
the exporting country" refer to  vessels registered in the exporting country, at least
60 per cent of equity of which is owned by a citizen(s) or the government of the
exporting country, or corporation or  association  legitimately registered in the
exporting country;
(f) Used articles collected in the exporting country, fit only for the recovery of raw
materials;
(g) Waste and scrap resulting from manufacturing operations conducted in the exporting
country;WT/COMTD/N/12
Page 4
(h) Goods produced in the exporting country exclusively from the products referred to in
subparagraphs 1 to 7 above.
2. Products which are finally manufactured or processed in the exporting country by using
products, as input, which originate from countries other than the exporting country, or the origin of
which is not determined, shall be eligible for preferential tariffs, if the value of the inputs does notexceed 50 per cent of the F.O.B. price of the final products. In this case, if the final products include
the products originating from the Republic of Korea as input, the value of these products shall be
excluded from the calculation of the total value of inputs.
3. The value of inputs referred to in paragraph 2 shall be calculated in the following order:
(i) The value including freight and insurance cost at the time of importation to the
exporting country(C.I.F. price);  and
(ii) The ascertainable price paid first for the inputs in the exporting country.
4. Those who wish to receive preferential tariffs shall submit a Certificate of Origin in Annex 
issued by the government of the exporting  countr y or an authority designated by the government of
the exporting country.
5. Article 53-4 of the Enforcement Decree of the Customs Law shall be invoked in cases not
covered by the rules of origin set out in paragraphs 1 to 4.
Addendum
This Decree shall go into effect on 1 January 2000.WT/COMTD/N/12
Page 5
ANNEX  I
Least-Developed Countries Eligible for Preferential Tariff
Asia (14)
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Myanmar, Bhutan, Kiribati, Laos, Maldives, Nepal, Samoa,
Tuvalu, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, Yemen
Africa (33)
Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros,
Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritria, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Lesotho, Liberia,
Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique , Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome & Principe, Sierra
Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zaire, Zambia
America (1)
HaitiWT/COMTD/N/12
Page 6
ANNEX II
Preferential Products and Tariff Rates
HS Code Description Rate of
Duty
0301 Live fish.
0301.10 - Ornamental fish 0
0306 Crustaceans, whether in shell or not, live, fresh,
chilled, frozen, dried, salted or in brine;
crustaceans, in shell, cooked by steaming or by
boiling in water, whether or not chilled, frozen,
dried, salted or in brine; flours, meals and pelletsof crustceans, fit for human consumption.
0306.2 Not frozen : 0
0306.21 - Rock lobster and other sea crawfish (Palinurus
spp., Panulirus spp., Jasus spp.)
0307 Molluscs, whether in shell or not, live, fresh,
chilled frozen, dried, salted or in brine; aquaticinvertebrates other than crustaceans and
molluscs, live, fresh, chilled, frozen, dried,
salted or in brine; flours, meals and pellets of
aquatic invertebrates other than crustaceans, fit
for human consumption.
0307.5 Octopus(Octopus spp.):
0307.59 - Other, other than frozen pulp squid 0
0801 Coconuts, Brazil nuts and cashew nuts, fresh or
dried, whether or not shelled or peeled.
0801.3 Cashew nuts:
0801.31 - In shell 0
0801.32 - Shelled 0
0802 Other nuts, fresh or dried, whether or not shelled
or peeled.
0802.90 - Other 0
0901 Coffee, whether or not roasted or decaffeinated;
coffee husks and skins; coffee substitutes
containing coffee in any proportion.
0901.1 Coffee, not roasted
0901.11 - Not decaffeinated 0
0905.00 Vanilla. 0
0907.00 Cloves(whole fruit, cloves and stems). 0
1007.00 Grain sorghum. 0
1008 Buckwheat, millet and canary seed; other
cereals.
1008.20 - Millet 0
1203.00 Copra. 0
1207 Other oil seeds and oleaginous fruits, whether or
not broken.
1207.20 - Cotton seeds 0WT/COMTD/N/12
Page 7
HS Code Description Rate of
Duty
1301 Lac; natural gums, resins, gum-resins and
oleoresins (for example, balsams).
1301.20 - Gum Arabic 0
1301.90 - Other 0
1404 Vegetable products not elsewhere specified or
included.
1404.20 - Cotton linters 0
1508 Ground-nut oil and its fractions, whether or not
refined, but not chemically modified.
1508.10 - Crude oil 0
1511 Palm oil and its fractions, whether or not
refined, but not chemically modified.
1511.10 - Crude oil 0
1513 Coconut(copra), palm kernel or babassu oil and
fractions thereof, whether or not refined, but not
chemically modified.
1513.1 Coconut(copra) oil and its fractions:
1513.11 - Crude oil 0
1701 Cane or beet sugar and chemically pure sucrose,
in solid form.
1701.11 - Cane sugar 0
1703 Molasses resulting from the extraction or
refining of sugar.
1703.10 - Cane molasses 0
1801.00 Cocoa beans, whole or broken, raw or roasted. 0
2005 Other vegetables prepared or preserved
otherwise than by vinegar or acetic acid, not
frozen, other than products of heading
No. 20.06.
2005.60 - Asparagus 0
2401 Unmanufactured tobacco; tobacco refuse.
2401.10 - Tobacco, not stemmed/stripped 0
2401.20 - Tobacco, not partly or wholly
stemmed/stripped0
2402 Cigars, cheroots, cigarillos and cigarettes, of
tobacco or of tobacco substitutes.
2402.20 - Cigarettes containing tobacco 0
2510 Natural calcium phosphates, natural aluminium
calcium phosphates and phosphatic chalk.
2510.10 - Unground 0
2510.20 - Ground 0
2601 Iron ores and concentrates, including roasted
iron pyrites
2601.1 Iron ores and concentrates, other than roasted iron
pyrites
2601.11 - Non-agglomerated 0
2606.00 Aluminium ores and concentrates. 0
2614.00 Titanium ores and concentrates. 0WT/COMTD/N/12
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HS Code Description Rate of
Duty
2818 Artificial corundum, whether or not chemically
defined; aluminium oxide; aluminium
hydroxide.
2818.20 - Aluminium oxide, other than artificial
corundum0
2849 Carbides, whether or not chemically defined.
2849.10 - Of calcium 0
2918 Carboxylic acids with additional oxygen
function and their anhydrides, halides, peroxides
and peroxyacids; their halogenated, sulphonated,
nitrated or nitrosated derivatives.
2918.90 - Other 0
3004 Medicaments(excluding goods of heading No.
30.02, 30.05 or 30.06) consisting of mixed or
unmixed products for therapeutic or prophylactic
uses, put up in measured doses or in forms or
packings for retail sale.
3004.90 - Other 0
3301 Essential oils(terpeneless or not), including
concretes and absolutes; resinoids; extracted
oleoresin; concentrates of essential oils in fats,in fixed oils, in waxes or the like, obtained by
enfleurage or maceration; terpenic by-products
of the deterpenation of essential oils; aqueous
distillates and aqueous solutions of essential oils.
3301.2 Essential oils other than those of citrus fruit
3301.26 - Of vetiver 0
3301.29 - Other 0
4001 Natural rubber, balata, gutta-percha, guayule,
chicle  and similar natural gums, in primary
forms or in plates, sheets or strip.
4001.2 Natural rubber in other forms :
4001.22 - Technically specified natural rubber (TSNR) 0
4001.29 - Other 0
4102 Raw skins of sheep or lambs(fresh, or salted,
dried, limed, pickled or otherwise preserved, but
not tanned, parchment-dressed or further
prepared), whether or not with wool on or split,
other than those excluded by Note 1 (c) to this
Chapter.
4102.2 Without wool on :
4102.21 - Pickled 0
4106 Goat or kid skin leather, without hair on, other
than leather of heading No. 41.08 or 41.09.
4106.1 Tanned or retanned but not further prepared,
whether or not split :
4106.12 - Otherwise pre-tanned 0WT/COMTD/N/12
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HS Code Description Rate of
Duty
4301 Raw furskins (including heads, tails, paws and
other pieces or cuttings, suitable for furriers'
use), other than raw hides and skins of heading
No. 41.01, 41.02 or 41.03.
4301.30 - Of lamb, the following : Astrakhan, Broadtail,
Caracul, Persian and similar lamb, Indian,
Chinese, Mongolian or Tibetan lamb, whole,with or without head, tail or paws0
4403 Wood in the rough, whether or not stripped of
bark or sapwood, or roughly squared.
4403.20 - Other, coniferous 0
4403.4 Other, of tropical wood specified in Subheading
Note 1 to this Chapter :
4403.49 - Other 0
4403.9 Other
4403.99 - Other 0
4407 Wood sawn or chipped lengthwise, sliced or
peeled, whether or not planed, sanded or finger-
jointed, of a thickness exceeding 6 mm.
4407.10 - Coniferous 0
4407.2 Of tropical wood specified in Subheading Note 1
to this Chapter :
4407.25 - Dark Red Meranti, Light Red Meranti, and
Meranti Bakau0
4407.26 -White Lauan, White Meranti, White Seraya,
Yellow Meranti and Alan0
4407.29 - Other 0
4407.9 Other
4407.99 - Other 0
4408 Veneer sheets and sheets for plywood (whether
or not spliced) and other wood sawn lengthwise,
sliced or peeled, whether or not planed, sanded
or finger-jointed, of a thickness not exceeding
6 mm.
4408.90 - Other 0
4409 Wood(including strips and friezes for parquet
flooring, not assembled) continuously
shaped(tongued, grooved, rebated, chamfered,
V-jointed, beaded, moulded, rounded or thelike)along any of its edges or faces, whether or
not planed, sanded or finger-jointed.
4409.20 - Non-coniferous, other than wood for toothpick 0
4410 Particle board and similar board of wood or
other ligneous materials, whether or not
agglomerated with resins or other organic
binding substances.
4410.1 Of wood
4410.11 - Waferboard, including oriented strand board 0
4410.19 - Other 0WT/COMTD/N/12
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HS Code Description Rate of
Duty
5101 Wool, not carded or combed.
5101.2 Degreased, not carbonised :
5101.21 - Shorn wool 0
5102 Fine or coarse animal hair, not carded or
combed.
5102.10 - Fine animal hair 0
5201.00 - Cotton, not carded or combed. 0
5701 Carpets and other textile floor coverings,
knotted, whether or not made up.
5701.10 - Of wool or fine animal hair 0
6108 Women's or girls' slips, petticoats, briefs,
panties, nightdresses, pyjamas, negligees,
bathrobes, dressing gowns and similar articles,
knitted or crocheted.
6108.3 Nightdresses and pyjamas :
6108.32 - Of man-made fibres 0
6110 Jerseys, pullovers, cardigans, waist-coats and
similar articles, knitted or crocheted..
6110.10 - Of wool or fine animal hair 0
6110.20 - Of cotton 0
6204 Women's or girls' suits, ensembles, jackets,
blazers, dresses, skirts, divided skirts, trousers,
bib and brace overalls, breeches and shorts
(other than swimwear).
6204.6 Trousers, bib and br ace overalls, breeches and
shorts :
6204.62 - Of cotton 0
6206 Women's or girls' blouses, shirts and shirt-
blouses.
6206.30 - Of cotton 0
6212 Brassieres, girdles, corsets, braces, suspenders,
garters and similar articles and parts thereof,
whether or not knitted or crocheted.
6212.10 - Brassieres 0
6403 Footwear with outer soles of rubber, plastics,
leather or composition leather and uppers of
leather.
6403.9 Other footwear :
6403.99 - Other 0
6406 Parts of footwear(including uppers whether or
not attached to soles other than outer soles);
removable in-soles, heel cushions and similar
articles; gaiters, leggings and similar articles,
and parts thereof.
6406.10 - Uppers and parts thereof, other than stiffeners 0
7102 Diamonds, whether or not worked, but not
mounted or set.
7102.10 Unsorted 0
7102.3 Non-industrial : 0WT/COMTD/N/12
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HS Code Description Rate of
Duty
7102.31 - Unworked or simply sawn, cleaved or bruted
7103 Precious stones(other than diamonds) and semi-
precious stones, whether or not worked or
graded but not strung, mounted or set; ungraded
precious stones(other than diamonds) and semi-
precious stones, temporarily strung for
convenience of transport.
7103.10 - Unworked or simply sawn or roughly shaped 0
7108 Gold(including gold plated with platinum)
unwrought or in semi-manufactured forms, or in
powder form.
7108.1 Non-monetary :
7108.12 - Other unwrought forms
7108.13 - Other semi-manufactured forms
7112 Waste and scrap of precious metal clad with
precious metal; other waste and scrap containing
precious metal or precious metal compounds, of
a kind used principally for the recovery of
precious metal.
7112.10 - Of gold, including metal or of metals clad with
gold but excluding sweepings containing otherprecious metals
7202 Ferro-alloys.
7202.2 Ferro-silicon :
7202.21 - Containing by weight more than 55% of silicon
7202.29 - Other
7214 Other bars and rods of iron or non-alloy steel,
not further worked than forged, hot-rolled, hot-
drawn or hot-extruded, but including thosetwisted after rolling.
7214.20 - Containing indentations , ribs, grooves or other
deformations produced during the rolling
process or twisted after rolling
7403 Refined copper and copper alloys, unwrought.
7403.1 Refined copper;
7403.11 - Cathodes and sections of cathodes
7403.19 - Other
8105 Cobalt mattes and other intermediate products of
cobalt metallurgy; cobalt and articles thereof,
including waste and scrap.
8105.10 - Cobalt mattes and other intermediate products
of cobalt metallurgy; unwrought cobalt; waste
and scrap; powdersWT/COMTD/N/12
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HS Code Description Rate of
Duty
8544 Insulated (including enamelled or anodised)
wire, cable (including co-axial cable) and other
insulated electric conductors, whether or not
fitted with connectors; optical fibre cables, made
up of individually sheathed fibres, whether ornot assembled with electric conductors or fitted
with connectors
8544.1 Winding wire:
8544.19 -  Other 0
8544.30 -  Ignition wiring sets and other wiring sets of a  
kind.  Used in vehicles, aircrafts or ships0WT/COMTD/N/12
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ANNEX III
Certificate of Origin
1.Exporter(business name, address, country)
2.Importer(business name, address, country)Reference No.
Certificate of Origin for Preferential Tariff for Least-Develope d
Countries(Combined declaration and certificate)
Issued in ................................................(country)
                         See notes overleaf
3. Means of transport and route 4. For official use
5. HS code 6. Marks and
numbers of
 packages7. Number and kind of
packages: description
of goods8. Origin 
criterion 
(see  notes
overleaf)9G r o s s
weight or
other 
quantity10. Number  and
date of 
invoices
11. Declaration by the exporter
The undersigned hereby declares that the above
details and statements are correct; that all the goods
were produced in
..........................................................................
(country)
and that they comply with the origin requirements
specified in the Presidential Decree on PreferentialTariff for Least-Developed Countries.
..............................................................................
(importing country)
............................................................................
Place and date, signature of authorized signatory12. Certificate
It is hereby certified, on the basis of control carried
out, that the declaration by the exporter is correct
............................................................................
Place and date, signature and stamp of certifyingauthority
(210mm × 297mm)WT/COMTD/N/12
Page 14
Notes
1. General Conditions
To qualify for preference, products must:
(a) fall within a description of products eligible for preference according to the Presidential
Decree on Preferential Tariff for Least-Developed Countries of the Republic of Korea; and
(b) comply with the rules of origin set out in Article 5 of the Presidential Decree on Preferential
Tariff for Least-Developed Countries. Each article in a consignment must qualify separatelyin its own right; and
(c) be consigned directly from the country of exportation to the Republic of Korea. However, the
followings are considered as consigned from the country of exportation to the Republic of
Korea:
(i) if it is proved that the product just passes through a non-originating territory for
geographical reasons or is transshipped or temporarily stored in a bonded area of a
non-originating territory; or
(ii) the products re-exported into Korea after exported to a non-originating territory for
display at exhibitions or fairs.
2. Entries to be made in box 8
Preferential products must be wholly or partly produced or obtained in the exporting country
in accordance with the origin requirements set out in paragraph 1 and 2 of Article 5 of the Presidential
Decree on Preferential Tariff for Least-Developed Countries.
(a) wholly produced or obtained pro ducts: enter the letter "A" in box 8.
(b) products not wholly produced or obtained: enter the letter "B" in box 8.  Entry of
letter "B" should be followed by the sum of the value of inputs originating from other
countries than the exporting country or of undetermined origin, expressed as a
percentage of the F.O.B. price of the exported products; (example "B" 40 per cent)
__________