Check the active ingredients
A medicine’s active ingredients determine whether it is controlled in Korea. A prescription or over-the-counter status in another country does not replace Korean import permission. Check every medicine, including cold remedies, sleep products and combination formulations, before packing.
Ordinary medicine: check ingredients and quantity
Over-the-counter and ordinary prescription medicine for your own use may qualify for personal-use clearance within six bottles or packs, or a three-month supply at the stated dose, per the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' guidance on bringing in medicines. It counts toward the US$800 goods allowance like anything else in the bag (“The customs declaration on arrival”). Keep it in the original packaging with the prescription or a doctor's note. Some medicines have additional requirements: medicine with abuse potential that is not a narcotic — the same guidance names erectile-dysfunction drugs — has separate documentation and quantity requirements; the guidance specifies the quantity on a Korean doctor’s prescription.
Controlled medicine: apply before you fly
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) requires prior approval for any medicine classified as a narcotic or psychotropic, whatever your prescription at home. The Korea Customs Service names the drugs travellers are most often caught with:
| Kind | Named examples |
|---|---|
| Sleeping and anti-anxiety drugs | Zolpidem (Ambien), diazepam (Valium), alprazolam (Xanax), lorazepam (Ativan), zopiclone |
| ADHD stimulants | Methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta) |
| Opioid painkillers | Codeine, morphine, oxycodone, tapentadol, methadone |
| Cough and cold medicine | Products containing dextromethorphan; check the actual formulation. |
Apply online for self-treatment approval (자가치료용 마약류 반입허가) at nedrug.mfds.go.kr — the online route has run since 27 December 2024 — and allow ten working days. The Narcotics Policy Division takes questions on +82-43-719-2810.
Check combination products by ingredient. If a cold remedy’s status is unclear, ask MFDS about the exact ingredient, dose and quantity before packing it. A brand name alone is not enough because formulations vary.
Cannabis and CBD products
CBD, THC and CBN are all cannabis under Korean law. The ministry's notice of 10 June 2025 confirms, following a Supreme Court ruling, that CBD (칸나비디올) counts as cannabis (대마) whichever part of the plant it came from — there is no hemp-derived exception. Do not bring consumer CBD oils, gummies or vape products on the assumption that home-country legality allows entry. If you use a prescribed cannabis-derived medicine, ask MFDS specifically about the applicable route before travel.
Obtain any required approval before travelling
Unauthorized import can carry serious criminal penalties. Customs distinguishes the substance classes: some attract life imprisonment or at least five years, while listed psychotropic categories have different maximum sentences or fines. There is no single five-years-to-life sentence plus fine for every medicine. Obtain any required approval before travel.
Before you fly
- List the active ingredients, strength and quantity of every medicine you plan to bring. The examples above are not a complete list of controlled substances.
- Check personal-use quantity limits and any exceptions. Keep labelled packaging and supporting prescription details.
- Ask MFDS about uncertain formulations and apply through the self-treatment portal early enough to receive any required approval before travel.
- Do not bring consumer cannabis-derived products on the assumption that they are legal in Korea. For a prescribed cannabis-derived medicine, ask MFDS about the specific approval route.
- If you may run out during the trip, discuss the plan with your prescriber before travelling. “What does medical care cost a visitor?” explains how to seek care in Korea.
