Items abandoned by travelers during security screening at Incheon International Airport's departure hall exceeded 165 tons in the first half of this year. Lighters alone accounted for 370,000 items, while food products such as kimchi and gochujang totaled dozens of tons, indicating that travelers' understanding of carry-on regulations remains insufficient.
According to Incheon International Airport Corporation on the 29th, items surrendered by passengers during security screening from January to June this year totaled 165.3 tons. General items accounted for 136.7 tons and food products for 28.6 tons. Items disposed of immediately, such as opened food and beverages, were excluded from these statistics.
General items numbered 1,193,963 in total. The most common items were liquid cosmetics and household goods at 610,000 (51.8%). Lighters followed at 370,000 (31.1%), while stationery and bladed items such as knives and scissors totaled 100,000 (8.9%).
On international flights, liquids, gels and sprays brought into the cabin must each be 100 ml or less, with the total contained in a single transparent plastic zip bag of 1 liter or less. Amounts exceeding this are restricted at the security screening stage.
Many travelers also arrived at the airport with a mistaken understanding of lighter regulations. Ordinary portable gas lighters may be brought into the cabin only when carried on one's person, up to one per passenger. Placing them in carry-on or checked baggage is not permitted, and some high-powered products such as torch-type lighters are restricted from being brought in at all.
Among food products, kimchi was the most common at 5.1 tons. Gochujang followed at 2.5 tons, doenjang at 2.3 tons, and other foods at 18.7 tons. Calculating one head of kimchi at about 3 kg, roughly 1,700 heads were surrendered at security screening.
Foods containing liquid components, such as kimchi and pastes, are subject to the same regulations as general liquids on international flights. If they exceed 100 ml per individual container, they cannot be brought into the cabin and must be checked as baggage or otherwise dealt with before departure.
The corporation explained that many travelers arrive at the airport without sufficiently checking cabin carry-on standards, resulting in repeated cases of items being surrendered at the security screening stage. Flammable gases and liquids, firearms and bladed weapons, and various tools are prohibited in the cabin, while power banks are permitted only for products of 160 Wh or less, up to two per person as cabin carry-on. They cannot be placed in checked baggage.
Incheon International Airport Corporation sorts the items surrendered by passengers during security screening each month and sequentially donates usable items to nonprofit social welfare organizations and others. "During the summer vacation season, as overseas travelers increase, so do restricted items, so it is necessary to check cabin carry-on standards in advance before departure," a corporation official said.
