Medicine rules for visitors

Can you bring your medication into Korea?

Even medicine prescribed in your home country may be treated differently in Korea. This guide covers the allowance for ordinary medicine and the approval process for sleeping pills, anti-anxiety drugs and other controlled medicine.

1. Check the ingredient

By active ingredient, not brand name

2. Ordinary medicine

Personal-use allowance and proof

3. Controlled medicine

MFDS approval before arrival

4. Packing

Original packaging and documents

Section 1

Check first: which group is your medicine in?

The same medicine can be classified differently in each country. Check by active ingredient.

Ordinary medicine

Medicine with no narcotic ingredient, such as blood pressure, diabetes or antibiotic medication. You can bring a personal-use amount without prior approval; carry proof such as a prescription.

Narcotic & psychotropic medicine

Sleeping pills, anti-anxiety drugs, ADHD medication, opioid painkillers and similar. Regardless of nationality, you need approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) before you enter Korea.

Cannabis products

Cannabis oil, CBD products and similar are regulated as narcotics in Korea even if they are legal in your country. Do not bring them.

Section 2

Ordinary medicine: the personal-use allowance

This applies to medicine with no narcotic ingredient.

What applies when you bring it

Customs guidance comes first

Medicine for your own use is accepted as personal use up to 6 bottles or a three-month supply according to the dosage
Bring a prescription, medical certificate or pharmacy label that shows the medicine is yours
Keep medicine in its original packaging (loose pills in another container are hard to identify)
If customs asks, explain that the medicine is for your own use and show your documents
If you need more than the allowance, check with the Korea Customs Service before you travel

Health supplements and vitamins also have quantity limits. If you plan to bring a large amount, check the Korea Customs Service guidance.

Section 3

Narcotic & psychotropic medicine: approval before arrival

Even medicine you take for treatment cannot be brought in without approval.

Type of medicine	Example ingredients	What is required
Sleeping pills	zolpidem	Prior approval
Sedatives / anti-anxiety drugs	diazepam, alprazolam, lorazepam	Prior approval
ADHD medication	methylphenidate	Prior approval
Opioid painkillers	oxycodone, morphine	Prior approval
Appetite suppressants	phentermine	Prior approval
Cannabis products (CBD oil, etc.)	cannabis, CBD	Cannot be brought in

These ingredients are examples, not a complete list. Even with approval in your home country, some ingredients may not be approved in Korea.

How to apply for approval

Confirm the active ingredient

Ask the prescribing doctor or your pharmacist for the active ingredient name and whether it is a narcotic or psychotropic substance.

Apply online before you travel

Apply on the self-treatment narcotics permit page of the MFDS Drug Safety Korea site. No membership is needed; you sign in by email verification and upload documents as PDF files. Prepare a passport copy, flight details, and a doctor's medical certificate and prescription in Korean or English.

Apply early to allow for processing

The stated processing time is 10 business days. Applications can be rejected if documents are incomplete or the application period is not observed, so apply with time to spare.

Carry the medicine yourself with the permit

Bring the approved medicine with you in person and show the permit and the medicine at customs. You cannot bring more than the approved amount.

Medicine brought in without approval, or sent by international mail or courier, can be returned or destroyed by customs, and you may be punished under the Narcotics Control Act.

Section 4

What to check when packing

Go through this before you leave.

Before departure

Keep medicine and documents together

Make a list of your medicine with active ingredient, dose and reason for use
Prepare a prescription or medical certificate in English
Leave medicine in its original packaging and labels, and pack it with the documents in your carry-on bag
Bring enough for your trip (the same medicine may not be available in Korea)
For narcotic or psychotropic medicine, print the permit and keep it with the medicine
Do not carry someone else's medicine for them
Do not send medicine separately by mail or courier

Section 5

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1 Do I need prior approval for ordinary prescription medicine such as blood pressure pills?

Ordinary medicine with no narcotic ingredient does not need prior approval. Medicine for your own use is accepted as personal use up to 6 bottles or a three-month supply according to the dosage; bring a prescription, medical certificate or pharmacy label that shows the medicine is yours.

Q2 How do I know whether my medicine is a narcotic or psychotropic substance?

Check by active ingredient, not brand name. Classifications differ by country, so confirm the ingredient with the prescribing doctor or your pharmacist, and contact the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety if you are unsure. Sleeping pills, anti-anxiety drugs, ADHD medication, opioid painkillers and some appetite suppressants are often included.

Q3 How early do I have to apply?

The stated processing time is 10 business days, so apply well before you enter Korea. Applications can be rejected if documents are incomplete or the application period is not observed. Timelines and procedures can change, so check the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety guidance before applying.

Q4 What happens if I bring it without approval?

It can be returned or destroyed by customs, and you may be punished under the Narcotics Control Act. This applies even to medicine prescribed for treatment.

Q5 Can a family member bring it for me, or can I receive it by mail?

Approved medicine must be carried into Korea by you in person. Having someone else bring it, or sending it by international mail or courier, is not allowed.

Q6 Can I bring CBD oil or cannabis products?

No. Cannabis products are regulated as narcotics in Korea even if they are legal or sold without a prescription in your country.

Q7 What if I run out of medicine during my trip?

A prescription issued abroad cannot be filled at a Korean pharmacy. You need to see a doctor at a Korean medical institution and get a prescription, and the same medicine may not be available in Korea, so it is best to bring enough for your trip.

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