CBP importer crackdown puts thousands of cross-border freight shipments at risk

If CBP invalidates an importer-of-record number, US customs clearance stops at the border with no workaround at the time of arrival. Korean shippers who rely on a US affiliate, a broker, or a partner's IOR are most exposed, since registered addresses, EINs, and contact details often go stale and the invalidation only surfaces when cargo lands. Ask your US broker to confirm that your IOR record is current and whether a CBP Form 5106 update is due. Where a single IOR carries most of your volume, line up a backup clearance route or revisit DDP terms before the next shipment moves.