Can I bring Adipex to Korea?
Phentermine · Adipex · Duromine · Metermine
Required사전 승인 필요
Adipex (active ingredient: Phentermine) requires prior approval from the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) before you travel.
Korea lists phentermine in annex 6 of the Narcotics Control Act enforcement decree, so you need written MFDS approval before entering with it, even though it is prescribed within Korea for obesity. Korean rules cap domestic phentermine prescriptions at 4 weeks at a time, up to 3 months total.
How to apply for MFDS approval →How Korea classifies it
Under the Narcotics Control Act, Phentermine is a psychotropic substance (향정신성의약품), listed in annex 6 of the enforcement decree, the schedule for psychotropic medicines in medical use with comparatively lower abuse risk. The classification attaches to the substance itself, so it applies to every product, brand, and dosage form that contains it. That is why the entry rule does not depend on how much you carry or whether your home prescription is valid: the substance triggers the permit requirement on its own.
Before you fly
- 1.Apply for the MFDS self-treatment permit at least 3 to 4 weeks before departure, online at nedrug.mfds.go.kr or by email to narcotics@korea.kr. Results are issued within 10 business days.
- 2.Prepare a passport copy, your flight itinerary, the prescription, and a doctor's note stating diagnosis and daily dose, in Korean or English. The permit covers up to a 90-day supply.
- 3.Pack the medication in its original packaging with the pharmacy label attached. Loose pills in an unmarked container invite questions you do not want at the border.
- 4.On arrival, take the goods-to-declare channel and show the permit with the medication.
If you refill in Korea
Questions
I take Duromine. Does the same rule apply?
Yes. Duromine is phentermine, so entering Korea with it needs the MFDS self-treatment permit regardless of where it was prescribed. Apply 3 to 4 weeks before travel; the permit covers up to a 90-day supply.
Can a Korean clinic prescribe phentermine during my stay?
Yes. Phentermine is a common appetite suppressant in Korean obesity clinics, sold as Dietamin and other brands. MFDS safe-use rules limit each prescription to 4 weeks and bar use alongside other appetite suppressants.
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Verified 2026-08-23
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Check another medication
MedsToKorea is an independent site with no affiliation to the Korean government. Travel preparation only, not medical or legal advice. Regulations change: confirm with the MFDS, Korea Customs Service, or a Korean embassy before traveling. We store no searches and no health data.