Korea Customs Service Rebrands Training Institute to Reflect Border Security Mission

In a letter to his minister Wang Xiu during the late Han Dynasty, Cao Cao praised him with the phrase "myeongsilsangbu" (名實相符) — meaning one's name and reality are in perfect accord. "You have kept your body and virtue pure, becoming a story of virtue in the world, and achieved great accomplishments through loyalty and ability, so your reputation matches your reality," he wrote.

A name carries more than identification — it embodies the essence an entity pursues and the weight of responsibility it must prove. These thoughts struck me as I looked at the new signboard of the Korea Customs Border and Human Resources Development Institute, which launched on January 22.

The Korea Customs Service now stands at an inflection point in its identity. Amid increasingly sophisticated transnational crimes and rapidly changing trade environments, we can no longer remain merely a "tax collection agency." The time has come to clarify our function and responsibility as a "border protection agency" that safeguards public safety and national interests at the border. With this awareness, we have established a new vision: "A Customs Service leading fair growth through AI."

Yet the starting point for realizing any vision is ultimately people, not technology. No matter how sophisticated our systems become, humans must make the final judgments serving the public interest. As customs administration expands into areas directly linked to border security, we are committed to systematically nurturing guardians with expertise and responsibility befitting this elevated mission.

This year, the institute will focus on developing field-oriented professionals. Frontline customs officers must read complex situations instantly and respond with sound judgment. We have restructured our entire curriculum — from new recruits to veteran officers — around practical training. We are introducing intensive programs targeting transnational crimes such as drug trafficking and illegal foreign exchange transactions, aiming to cultivate Korea's top investigators and digital forensics experts.

Developing "integrated talent" combining job expertise with AI capabilities is another core priority. While AI analyzes vast data to identify high-risk cargo, humans must apply those insights optimally. Through customized AI training for all levels, we will enhance digital literacy while fostering the ethical awareness to deploy technology in the public interest.

This fusion of talent and technology will reach citizens' lives through "4G Customs Administration": Growing continuously through AI, Going proactively to address business difficulties, Glowing with trust built on transparent and fair procedures, and Guarding the public from threats. These four directions form an integrated strategy centered on talent and AI, and their outcomes will prove the weight of our name through action.

Recently, I had the privilege of sitting down with new public servants. In the bright eyes of these young guardians asking about the future of customs administration, I saw a promising tomorrow for Korea's customs borders. Through unstinting investment in talent and AI transformation, the Korea Customs Service will steadily nurture reliable guardians protecting citizens' daily lives.