According to related officials, KCS once again selected KTNET to manage all customs clearance procedures including customs declaration and authentication via its electronic data interchange (EDI) network.

Although the previous "customs clearance system operator open door policy," which KCS had maintained since last July was changed, with this approval the government acknowledged the superiority of KTNET's VAN, which developed and executed robust and secure electronic trade for the past ten years.

However, its standing as "the sole customs clearance VAN operator " has been eliminated with the new contract between KCS and KTNET. This means that any company that receives recognition by the KCS Administrator as qualified for VAN services can be given rights to provide clearance system EDI services.

However, related interest groups including Korea Customs Brokers Association (KCBA) lodged a strong protest against the extension of the 1992 agreement saying that the monopolistic position of KTNET is reconfirmed by KCS, which had spearheaded the establishment of a new clearance system under a competitive environment.

Accordingly, the customs clearance-related parties, the largest customers of the current clearance EDI services, decided to push ahead with their own sub VAN by creating their own mail box. If they come together to realize an operational system, the user fee imposed on each customs clearance corporation will decline.