Can I bring medicine to Korea? Quantity limits, prescriptions and what needs approval
Numbers checked against the official source on 2026-10-19
For personal use you may bring up to 6 bottles of non-narcotic medicine, or up to a three-month supply by the label directions, and you must be able to show the medicine is for you (a prescription, a doctor's certificate or a pharmacy label on the packaging). Medicines with narcotic or psychotropic ingredients, including common sleeping pills such as zolpidem, need advance approval from Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) whatever your nationality. Medicines count toward the US$800 duty-free allowance.
What you can bring, what needs a check, what needs approval first
| Category | Rule | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary self-use medicine (non-narcotic) | 6 bottles or up to a 3-month supply by the directions for use; if it falls within the duty-free range, the separate requirement check is waived | Prove personal use: prescription, medical certificate or pharmacy label on the packaging. Keep the original packaging. You may be asked for a receipt showing lawful purchase. |
| Health functional foods (supplements) | 6 bottles; requirement check waived within the duty-free range | Must be recognised as for personal use |
| Medicines that can be misused or abused (the example given: erectile-dysfunction medicines with alprostadil) | Only the quantity stated on a prescription issued by a doctor in Korea | Carry the Korean prescription; customs lists such medicines among the goods to be declared |
| Medicines containing psychotropic substances (the examples given: zolpidem, diazepam, alprazolam, lorazepam, taken as sleeping pills or tranquillisers) | Cannot be brought in without prior approval of the head of MFDS under the narcotics law | Apply to MFDS before you travel (see below) |
| Medicines containing narcotic drugs, for your own treatment | MFDS permit needed, for anyone entering Korea, Korean or foreign | Apply to MFDS; online applications have been possible since 27 December 2024 |
| Items that still need a requirement check even within the allowance | Goods containing CITES-regulated ingredients; items MFDS has refused to import or notified as harmful; goods whose outer packaging does not clearly show the ingredients | Leave them at home or ask customs first |
- It counts toward your allowance. The Korean consulate notice says medicines are added to the US$800 per-person duty-free range; they are not on top of it. See our duty-free allowance page.
- Sleeping pills prescribed in Korea. The same notice says sleeping pills prescribed in Korea that you take abroad and bring back may face restricted customs clearance.
- Customs declaration list. The Korea Customs Service lists "medicines that may be misused or abused", psychoactive drugs, hemp products and drugs such as marijuana, opium and coca leaves among goods to be declared. Narcotics are restricted goods and must meet every clearance requirement regardless of the duty-free allowance.
- Oriental medicine. Customs lists oriental medicine made with protected wild animals and plants (for example bear gall bladder and musk) among goods to be declared. For food and plant products see what you cannot bring: food and plants.
Narcotics and psychotropic medicines: MFDS approval
| Item | What the notices say |
|---|---|
| Rule | Since 23 October 2009, a person entering Korea who must take narcotic or psychotropic medicine for treatment must get approval from MFDS to carry it in |
| Who | Everyone entering Korea with such medicine, with no distinction between Koreans and foreigners |
| How to apply | Online application opened on 27 December 2024 (MFDS notice dated 2020-10-12, updated for the online system); application manuals in Korean and English are attached to the notice as PDFs, which we did not download |
| Contact | MFDS Narcotics Policy Division, +82-43-719-2813 |
An older 2023 embassy notice says the same permit is issued by MFDS, not by the embassy, and points to the MFDS notice; it predates the online application. Customs inquiries: Incheon Airport Customs, Terminal 1 Traveller Clearance Division 1, 032-722-4422; Terminal 2 Division 2, 032-723-5119. The Korea Customs Service also takes English questions on its website Q&A.
Where the notices agree and where they differ in date
| Notice | Date | Ordinary medicine rule |
|---|---|---|
| Korean Consulate General in Wuhan (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) | 2026-02-13 | 6 bottles or up to 3 months by the directions; requirement check waived within the duty-free range |
| Korean Embassy in Denmark (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) | 2023-08-31 | Maximum 6 bottles or three months' supply; must prove personal use |
The two agree. The Korea Customs Service's own passenger guide, read on 2026-10-19, does not print the bottle limit; it lists the declaration categories and the US$800 range. For an unusual product or a large quantity, ask the Korea Customs Service or Incheon Airport Customs before you travel.
Packing checklist
- Original packaging with the ingredients printed on it.
- Prescription, doctor's letter or pharmacy label showing the medicine is yours.
- No more than 6 bottles, or a three-month supply by the label.
- Check the ingredient list for sleeping-pill and tranquilliser ingredients (zolpidem, diazepam, alprazolam, lorazepam) and for anything narcotic: if present, get MFDS approval first.
- Keep the receipt if you have one.
Common questions
Can I bring prescription medicine to Korea?
Yes, for personal use within 6 bottles or a three-month supply, if you can show it is for you. Medicines with narcotic or psychotropic ingredients need MFDS approval before you arrive.
Do I need to declare medicine at customs?
Customs lists medicines that may be misused or abused, psychoactive drugs and narcotics among goods to be declared. Ordinary personal medicine within the stated limits is treated as part of your baggage allowance of US$800.
Not covered here: the attached PDF guides, medicines bought online and shipped to Korea, veterinary medicines, and the full list of banned ingredients. Not medical or legal advice; confirm with the Korea Customs Service or MFDS before travelling with a medicine whose status is unclear.
Official sources
- Korean Consulate General in Wuhan (MOFA) — Procedure for bringing medicine into Korea — notice dated 2026-02-13: 6 bottles or 3 months, health functional foods, misused medicines, psychotropic medicines, US$800 aggregation, contacts (checked 2026-10-19)
- Korean Embassy in Denmark (MOFA) — Bringing medicines into Korea by travel — notice dated 2023-08-31: 6 bottles or three months' supply, proof of personal use, narcotic medicines permit from MFDS (checked 2026-10-19)
- Ministry of Food and Drug Safety — Self-treatment narcotics bring-in permit notice — notice registered 2020-10-12 (text mentions online application from 2024-12-27); rule applies to any nationality (checked 2026-10-19)
- Korea Customs Service — Customs Clearance Guide for Passengers (English) — US$800 range, restricted goods, goods to be declared (misused medicines, narcotics, oriental medicine from protected species) (checked 2026-10-19)
- Korea Customs Service — 여행자 휴대품 통관 (Korean) — the Korean version of the passenger guide, including the declaration list (checked 2026-10-19)
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