Short answer: to import used injection molding machines from Korea, first check your own country’s rule for used machinery, because some countries limit the age of the machine or require a certificate issued before shipment. Then specify the machine by the mould you will run, confirm it suits your power supply (Korean factories run on 380V 60Hz), inspect it under power before it is disconnected, and buy through a Korean company that can sign the purchase, dismantle, pack and issue export documents. Most Korean factories selling a used machine do not export it themselves.
This guide is for moulders, machinery dealers and importers. Search results for this topic are mostly machine listings and trade-data pages. They show what is for sale, not how to get a machine out of a Korean factory and through your customs. The eight steps below cover that part.
The 8 steps at a glance
| Step | What you do | Why it comes at this point |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Check your country’s rule for used machinery | An age limit can rule out a machine before you spend time on it |
| 2 | Specify the machine by your mould and part | Clamping force alone does not tell you whether the mould fits |
| 3 | Check power: voltage and frequency | Korean machines are built for 380V 60Hz |
| 4 | Shortlist by nameplate | Maker, model, serial number and year decide value and import eligibility |
| 5 | Inspect under power | Once the machine is disconnected, most faults cannot be seen |
| 6 | Agree in writing what is included | Auxiliaries, manuals and controller access are often left behind |
| 7 | Contract, Incoterm and documents | Your customs may need proof of the year of manufacture |
| 8 | Dismantling, packing and loading | The machine’s weight and size decide the container type |
Step 1: check your country’s rule for used machinery
Rules for used machinery differ widely, and they apply to the importer, not to the Korean seller. Injection-moulding machines are classified under HS subheading 8477.10, and moulds for plastics of the injection or compression type under 8480.71. Use these codes when you ask your customs office or broker. Two examples show how different the rules can be.
| Destination | What the rule says | What it means for a machine from Korea |
|---|---|---|
| Vietnam | Under Decision 18/2019/QD-TTg, the age of used machinery must not exceed 10 years. Age is the year of import, meaning the year the goods arrive at a Vietnamese port, minus the year of manufacture, counted in years and not months. Appendix I gives longer limits to certain headings, and heading 84.77 is not among them. The machine must also be made to standards that meet Vietnamese technical regulations on safety, energy saving and environmental protection, or, where none exist, Vietnamese national standards or the national standards of a G7 country or Korea. The decision was amended by Decision 02/2026/QD-TTg, in force from 8 January 2026, which changed parts of the procedure and the application form. | Count from the arrival year. A machine built in 2016 that arrives in December 2026 is 10 years old. The same machine arriving in January 2027 is 11. For a machine made in Korea or a G7 country, the import file needs the manufacturer’s original confirmation of the year of manufacture and the standards, consularly legalised and with a Vietnamese translation. Without it, an assessment certificate from a designated assessment body is required. Arrange this before the machine ships. |
| European Union | The European Commission’s Blue Guide states that EU product legislation applies to used and second-hand products imported from a third country when they enter the Union market for the first time. For machinery this is currently Directive 2006/42/EC. Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 replaces it and applies from 20 January 2027. | There is no age limit, but a used machine built for the Korean market is treated like a new product on arrival. The party placing it on the EU market has to bring it into conformity, with CE marking, an EU declaration of conformity and instructions. Get a cost estimate for that work from a conformity specialist before you buy. |
| Other countries | Some countries set an age limit, some require an inspection certificate issued before shipment, and some restrict used machinery to end users. | We have not listed rules we could not confirm from an official source. Check with your local customs office or customs broker before importing, and tell the exporter which documents you need before the machine is dismantled. |
Step 2: specify the machine by your mould and part
Listings are sorted by clamping force in tons, but two machines of the same tonnage can differ in whether your mould fits and whether the shot is large enough. Send these figures with your request so that unsuitable machines are excluded at the start.
| Specification | What to give the exporter |
|---|---|
| Clamping force | The range you can accept, in tons |
| Tie-bar spacing and platen size | Your largest mould’s width and height |
| Mould height and opening stroke | Minimum and maximum mould thickness, and the opening your part needs to eject |
| Shot size and screw diameter | Part weight including runner, and the resin |
| Drive type | Hydraulic, hybrid or all-electric, and whether you accept any of them |
| Controller | Any controller your technicians cannot support, and the screen language you need |
| Year | The oldest year your country’s rule and your own policy allow |
| Options | Core pulls, air ejection, robot interface, special screw or barrel for your resin |
Step 3: check power before anything else on the machine
Korean industrial power is three-phase 380V at 60Hz. If your supply has a different voltage, a transformer is a known fix. If your supply is 50Hz, the question is harder, because motors that drive hydraulic pumps turn more slowly on 50Hz and the machine’s output changes with them. All-electric and servo-driven machines behave differently from machines with fixed-speed pump motors. Ask for the electrical nameplate and the motor nameplates, and show them to your electrician. The details are in Korea 380V 60Hz machines: will they run in your country?
Step 4: shortlist Korean injection molding machines by nameplate
The Korean makers you will see most often on the used market are LS Mtron and Woojin Plaimm. Older machines from the same makers are commonly listed under earlier names, LG for LS Mtron and Woojin Selex for Woojin Plaimm, so read the nameplate and do not rely on the listing title. Korean factories also run machines from Japanese and European makers, and a machine located in Korea is not necessarily made in Korea.
Ask for a clear photo of the nameplate showing maker, model, serial number and year of manufacture. The year matters twice: it sets the price, and in countries with an age limit it decides whether the machine can be imported at all. If the nameplate is missing or unreadable, treat the year as unproven.
Step 5: inspect the machine under power
Inspect while the machine is still installed and connected. After the seller disconnects it, you can check appearance and little else. A live video call from the factory floor works if you cannot travel, and you can send an inspector of your choice.
| Area | What to look at | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Controller | Operating hours or cycle counter, alarm history, all screens responding | Real usage and recurring faults |
| Clamp unit | Tie-bars for scoring, toggle pins and bushings for play, platen faces for damage and repaired threads | Wear that affects mould protection and part quality |
| Injection unit | Several shots at a fixed setting: is the cushion stable, does the screw hold position under holding pressure | Screw, barrel and check-ring wear |
| Hydraulics | Leaks at cylinders, hoses and manifolds, pump noise, oil colour, oil temperature after running | Seal condition and pump wear |
| Electric drives | On electric machines, ball screws for noise and backlash, servo alarms | The most expensive parts to replace |
| Dry cycle | Open, close, eject and inject movements at speed, without a mould if none is fitted | Valve response and smooth motion |
| Safety devices | Gate interlocks, emergency stops, purge guard | What you must repair before use, and what your local rules may require in addition |
| Heaters | Every barrel zone reaching and holding its set temperature | Heater bands, thermocouples and control cards |
Ask for the video to be recorded, with the nameplate shown in the same recording. For a wider checklist that also covers machine tools and presses, see used machinery from Korea.
Step 6: agree in writing what is included
- Auxiliaries. Take-out robot, hopper dryer, loader, mould temperature controller, chiller, conveyor. State each one as included or not included.
- Documents. Operation manual, hydraulic and electrical drawings, parts list. Many are in Korean only. Ask which language each one is in.
- Controller access. Passwords and any settings backup the seller holds.
- Loose parts. Spare screw tips, nozzles, mould clamps, levelling pads, tools.
- Condition basis. Used machines are normally sold as inspected. Write down what was tested and what was seen.
Step 7: contract, Incoterm and documents
The factory that owns the machine usually wants a domestic sale and quick removal. It is normal for a Korean trading company to buy the machine and act as exporter and shipper. Check that company before you pay, using the steps in how to verify a Korean exporter. Choose the Incoterm with the freight in mind, since oversized machines do not ship at ordinary container rates: see FOB vs CIF from Busan.
- Standard documents. Commercial invoice, packing list and bill of lading. The invoice should state maker, model, serial number and year of manufacture, matching the nameplate.
- Documents your customs requires for used machinery. For example a manufacturer’s confirmation of the year of manufacture or a pre-shipment assessment certificate. These take time and must be arranged while the machine is still in Korea.
- Proof of origin. A used machine located in Korea does not automatically qualify as Korean origin under a trade agreement. Ask before you pay whether a proof of origin can be issued, and calculate your landed cost without the preferential rate unless the answer is yes.
Step 8: dismantling, packing and loading
- Container type. Smaller machines load into a standard 20ft or 40ft container. Machines that are too wide, too tall or too heavy for a standard container go on a flat rack or in an open-top container, and the largest machines are split into clamp unit and injection unit. Get the machine’s length, width, height and weight from the maker’s layout drawing and check them against container door openings and payload with the container load calculator.
- Hydraulic oil. Agree whether the oil is drained before shipment. Carriers and destination rules differ on this.
- Protection. Tie-bars, platen faces and the screw should be coated against rust. The controller and electrical cabinet should be wrapped against moisture, and the machine lashed and blocked so that it cannot move.
- Marking. Cables, hoses and removed parts should be labelled during dismantling, with photos, so that your technicians can reassemble the machine.
- Loading record. Ask for photos of the loaded and lashed container before the doors are sealed.
Common mistakes
- Buying by tonnage and finding that the mould does not fit between the tie-bars.
- Counting the machine’s age to the purchase date when the rule counts to the arrival year.
- Paying before the documents your customs needs have been confirmed as obtainable.
- Assuming a lower duty rate under a trade agreement for a machine that has no proof of origin.
- Inspecting only photos of a machine that has already been disconnected.
This guide is general information, not legal or customs advice.
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy a used injection molding machine directly from a Korean factory?
Sometimes, but most factories selling a used machine have no export staff and want a domestic sale with quick removal. In practice a Korean trading company buys the machine, arranges dismantling and packing, and exports it as the shipper.
What is the HS code for an injection molding machine?
Injection-moulding machines fall under HS subheading 8477.10. Injection or compression moulds for rubber or plastics fall under 8480.71. National tariff lines add further digits, so confirm the full code with your customs broker.
How old can a used injection molding machine be for import into Vietnam?
Under Decision 18/2019/QD-TTg the age must not exceed 10 years, counted as the year the goods arrive at a Vietnamese port minus the year of manufacture. Heading 84.77 is not among the headings given a longer limit. Confirm the current text with Vietnamese customs before buying.
Does a used machine from Korea need CE marking in the EU?
Yes. EU product legislation applies to used products imported from a third country when they enter the Union market for the first time. A used machine built for the Korean market has to be brought into conformity with the EU machinery rules by the party placing it on the EU market.
Will a Korean injection molding machine run on 50Hz power?
It depends on the drive. Korean machines are built for 380V 60Hz. Voltage can be matched with a transformer, but on 50Hz a fixed-speed pump motor turns more slowly and output drops. Have your electrician review the motor and electrical nameplates before you buy.
Buying through an exporter in Korea
HANA for U is a trading company based near Incheon. We buy used machinery from Korean factories that do not export themselves, arrange inspection, dismantling and packing, and ship with export documents. See used machinery from Korea for machine types and the Korea export sourcing overview for the full service. Dealers who buy for their own customers can read become a partner.
Request a quote: send the specifications from step 2 and your country through the quote request form, by email to ohytto@naver.com, or on WhatsApp. Prices and terms are stated on each quote.
Sources
- Government of Vietnam, consolidated text of Decision 18/2019/QD-TTg on the import of used machinery, equipment and technological lines, as amended by Decision 02/2026/QD-TTg (Vietnamese): age limit, how age is counted, standards, import file, Appendix I. Checked 12 October 2026.
- European Commission, The Blue Guide on the implementation of EU product rules 2022 (2022/C 247/01), section 2.1: used and second-hand products imported from a third country. Checked 12 October 2026.
- European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 on machinery: replaces Directive 2006/42/EC and applies from 20 January 2027. Checked 12 October 2026.
- World Customs Organization, HS Nomenclature 2022, Chapter 84: subheadings 8477.10 and 8480.71. Checked 12 October 2026.
LS Mtron, Woojin Plaimm and other brand names are trademarks of their owners. HANA for U is an independent exporter and is not affiliated with, or an authorised dealer of, any manufacturer named here. We are not affiliated with any government body or organisation cited as a source.
