Vietnam Seafood Association Urges End to South Korean Tariff Quota on Shrimp

The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers has written to the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and the Ministry of Industry and Trade, proposing that the removal of tariff quotas on Vietnamese shrimp be included in talks to upgrade the Vietnam–South Korea Free Trade Agreement. It seeks a 0% import tariff, with no volume limit, for shrimp products covered by the agreement’s commitments. South Korea currently grants Vietnamese shrimp a preferential quota of 15,000 tonnes a year, with a 0% import tariff within the quota.

Vietnamese shrimp faces pressure from trade costs in major export markets, including South Korea.（VietVance）

Businesses told the association that South Korea allocates quotas through auctions, making the cost of obtaining a quota equivalent to about 14% to 16% of the import value; the import tariff outside the quota is 20%. The association says these costs weaken the competitiveness of Vietnamese shrimp. It says South Korean importers consequently have little incentive to buy more Vietnamese shrimp to benefit from the agreement’s preferential tariff and are considering purchases from other countries, including Peru.

The association also urged the two ministries to assess how proposals to upgrade the agreement would affect seafood trade in both directions between Vietnam and South Korea, balance the interests of all parties, and avoid imposing unnecessary compliance obligations on businesses. It said businesses also face difficulties involving technical standards, food safety and sanitary measures, product traceability, and market competition.

According to the association, Vietnam’s seafood exports to South Korea reached US$649.1 million in the first nine months of 2026, including US$262.5 million in shrimp and US$234 million in cephalopods. South Korea imports more than 100,000 tonnes of shrimp annually, worth US$800 million to US$1 billion, and Vietnamese shrimp accounts for nearly half of its shrimp imports by volume. Over the same period, Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached US$3.7 billion, up 11% year on year, although growth is slowing.

Source: VietVance