Traveling to Korea with diabetes medication

Uncontrolled. Needles and pens matching your prescription raise no issue at entry; keep a doctor's note for airport security on your flights.

Uncontrolled injectable, same handling as insulin. Both brands are now sold in Korea, so refills are possible with a local prescription.

Uncontrolled; prescription-only within Korea but stocked everywhere.

Uncontrolled; sold in Korea under the same brand and strengths.

Uncontrolled; same brand in Korea, license now held by a Korean company.

Uncontrolled; same brand and strengths in Korea, including the metformin combination.

Uncontrolled. The Forxiga brand was withdrawn from Korea, so local refills come as generics at the same doses.

Do I need any Korean paperwork for a diabetes kit?

No. Nothing in a standard kit, insulin, needles, GLP-1 pens, oral medications, glucose tablets, appears in Korea's controlled-substance schedules. The customs personal-use allowance of six bottles or a three-month supply covers it. Carry prescriptions and keep original packaging, which answers any question an officer has.

How do I handle refrigeration on the trip?

Keep the cold-chain items in your cabin bag in a cooling pouch; cargo holds swing in temperature. The AREX train reaches Seoul Station in 43 minutes, and hotel fridges handle storage from there.

Can I refill my medication in Korea?

Yes, with a Korean prescription from an internal medicine clinic. Every medication on this page is marketed in Korea, mostly under the same brand names; dapagliflozin comes as a local generic since the Forxiga brand withdrew. Korean pharmacies cannot fill foreign prescriptions, so bring your records to the consultation.

What about needles at airport security?

Syringes and injectable medications are allowed in the cabin with your medication; notify screening staff and carry a doctor's note. That covers both your departure airport and the flight home from Incheon.