Can I bring Diazepam to Korea?
Diazepam · Valium
Required사전 승인 필요
Diazepam requires prior approval from the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) before you travel.
Korea lists diazepam in annex 6 of the Narcotics Control Act enforcement decree. You need written MFDS approval before entering Korea with it. Diazepam has been prescribed in Korea since the 1970s, so local continuation is possible, though it is sold as domestic generics rather than under the Valium brand.
How to apply for MFDS approval →How Korea classifies it
Under the Narcotics Control Act, Diazepam 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.
Questions
Is Valium available in Korean pharmacies?
The ingredient is, the brand is not. Korean pharmacies stock domestic diazepam generics, approved since 1977. Ask a Korean doctor for diazepam by ingredient name and bring your prescription records.
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Verified 2026-08-23
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