🐟 Can you bring Dried seaweed / dried fish on a plane?
Cabin: yes / checked: yes (declare at customs)
As of 2026-08-24
The rule in detail
Seasoned seaweed, dried fish and anchovies are solid foods, unaffected by the liquid rule and fine in both the cabin and checked baggage. Seafood is a quarantine item, though: the US, Australia, New Zealand and Canada all want it on your arrival card. Declared, it usually passes; concealed, it means disposal and a fine. Seaweed crumbles under pressure so a rigid container beats packing it among clothes, and dried fish needs sealing or the smell transfers.
Why the rule is written this way
It is classified as Carry-on or checked because it counts as an ordinary travel item, so there is no restriction on where it goes.
Either bag is fine. If its shape is the kind that invites a question at the checkpoint, keep it in an outer pocket of your cabin bag so you can produce it quickly.
The rules this verdict comes from
The verdict above follows from 1 Korean rule listed below, named in the original Korean because that is how they are indexed at the national law database. These are the rules themselves, not an airline summary — when screening staff disagree, this is the text that decides. Rules are amended; anything changed after the review date above follows the original.
What actually happens at the airport
- Check-in desk — this is the point of no return for your suitcase. Anything that may only travel in the cabin cannot be retrieved after this step.
- Security screening — if the X-ray flags a shape, the bag is opened. Most problem items are caught here.
- Extra check at the gate — on some routes there is one more inspection.
Confiscated items are rarely returned. If you are unsure, confirm the specification before you leave home.
Declaring and passing is always cheaper than hiding and getting caught
Other items in the same class
The items below are also classified as Carry-on or checked. Quantity and volume limits differ per item, so check each rule separately.
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| 🔌 Corded hair straightener / hairdryer | Cabin: yes / checked: yes |
| ✂️ Nail clippers / tweezers / eyebrow razor | Cabin: yes / checked: yes |
| 💊 Medicine / prescriptions / supplements | Cabin: yes / checked: yes (prescriptions on you) |
| 📷 Tripod / selfie stick | Cabin: yes / checked: yes (length limits apply) |
| 🥤 Vacuum flask / tumbler | Cabin and checked, as long as it is empty |
| 🍜 Instant noodles | Cabin: yes / checked: yes (declare at customs) |
| ☂️ Umbrella / parasol | Cabin: yes / checked: yes (check length for long ones) |
| 🍼 Baby formula / baby food | Cabin: yes / checked: yes (100ml waived with an infant) |
| 📷 Photographic film | Cabin recommended (checked scanners fog film) |
Frequently asked questions
- Dried seaweed / dried fish — can I take it in the cabin?
- Cabin: yes / checked: yes (declare at customs). Seasoned seaweed, dried fish and anchovies are solid foods, unaffected by the liquid rule and fine in both the cabin and checked baggage. Seafood is a quarantine item, though: the US, Australia, New Zealand and Canada all want it on your arrival card. Declared, it usually passes; concealed, it means disposal and a fine. Seaweed crumbles under pressure so a rigid container beats packing it among clothes, and dried fish needs sealing or the smell transfers.
- Dried seaweed / dried fish — can I put it in checked baggage?
- Yes. Neither bag breaks the rules, so decide on weight and on whether you will need it right after landing.
- Is there anything else to watch out for with Dried seaweed / dried fish?
- Declaring and passing is always cheaper than hiding and getting caught