Korean Air (KE, Seoul Incheon) is preparing legal action to contest an “excessive and unreasonable” Russian Federal Customs Service fine over what the carrier claimed was an administrative misunderstanding that occurred a year ago, local media reported.
The flag carrier was slapped with the KRW110 billion won (USD87 million) forfeit on February 24 this year for an alleged unlicensed cargo-flight takeoff that had stopped for refuelling at Moscow Sheremetyevo on February 22, 2021, en route from Seoul Incheon to Frankfurt International.
Soon after departure, the Sheremetyevo customs office notified Flight KE529 of a missing customs seal required before departure. Nothing more was heard until one year later when the customs service notified Korean Air that it was to be punished for the error.
In a statement released on April 21, Korean Air said it had submitted all of the necessary documentation in accordance with Russian law before takeoff - and had received customs clearance on its cargo with a preliminary approval from the customs office in the form of an electronic document. The border office and air traffic control centre also approved the flight for departure, it added.
Having presented these arguments to the Russian authorities together with the Korea Customs Service and the ministries of transport and foreign affairs, to no avail, Korean Air has now lodged administrative litigation with Russia’s customs body challenging the fine. The case is being reviewed by prosecutors in Moscow.
“Russia’s Federal Customs Service will initiate its own investigation process when the current procedure is completed. We will take all possible steps to cancel or reduce this excessive and unreasonable fine,” the airline said.
A Korean Air representative told the Hankyoreh newspaper: “We submitted every document and data in accordance with Russian regulations. We cleared the cargo with customs without incident and even received prior approval via an electronic document. Based on the fact that we followed all the rules and procedures except receiving the official seal from the customs office, it is clear we did not intend to violate the law.”
Local media have speculated that the fine could be retaliation for South Korea joining international sanctions against Russia since its invasion of Ukraine. Notification was made on February 24, the day the invasion began. Seoul had said on that day that it would join the then-unspecified multilateral sanctions but that it was not considering adopting unilateral measures.
Flight KE529 no longer stops for refuelling at Moscow Sheremetyevo and flies direct to Frankfurt, Flightradar24 ADS-B data shows.
