항공운송주선인의 세 가지 지위 유형에 따른 법적 검토

An air freight forwarder plays an important role in the modern international carriage of goods. However, the rules regulating a freight forwarder is not well organized in the Korean legal system. An air freight forwarder has three different kinds of function in Korea. First he plays as an intermediary between the carrier and the shipper, which falls within the pure definition of the freight forwarder. Second, he acts as a carrier by entering contract of carriage of goods with the shipper or by issuing bill of lading. Third, he acts as an agent of the shipper or of the carrier in the Korean Commercial Code. An air freight forwarder as an agent of the shipper or of the carrier is defined to be the person who, as agent for the customer requesting for carriage of the goods, perform all the services such as arranging for consolidation, warehousing, loading, carrying, taking insurance and delivery of the goods, from the moment of receipt of the goods from a shipper until delivery, as well as, under the intermodal transport system, as a party to the carriage contract, undertaking the responsibility for the entire period of transportation upon issuing the bill of lading as the carrier. The Korean Supreme Court held that even if a freight forwarder is provided with a shipping-related work, if it is not clear whether it is for carriage or forwarding only, it shall be verified by reaching the intention of the party whether the freight forwarder has obtained the status of carrier or not, but if the intention of the party is not clear, it shall be verified through a comprehensive consideration of all circumstances including but not limited to the names of the issuer of the house air waybill and the payment method of the fee. This article focus on the legal status on the freight forwarder not only as an agent of the shipper or of the carrier and as the intermediary, but also as the contracting carrier.