Which medications can you not bring into Korea?
Korean law draws three different lines, and most travel advice blurs them into one scary list. The actual structure looks like this.
1. Prohibited: no legal path in
Annex 3 of the Narcotics Control Act enforcement decree lists psychotropic substances with no accepted medical use in Korea: psilocybin, LSD, MDMA, and over a hundred research chemicals. These cannot be brought in at all; the MFDS travel permit does not apply to them. Cannabis sits here in practice too: THC products and wellness CBD are blocked regardless of where they were bought, with a narrow case-by-case channel for named prescription medicines such as Epidiolex.
2. Restricted: legal with an MFDS permit
Every other narcotic and psychotropic medication, from Adderall and Xanax to Ambien and oxycodone, needs written MFDS approval before entry, in any quantity. This group also hides in everyday products: NyQuil and DayQuil are restricted because of their dextromethorphan, and Tylenol No. 3 because of its codeine dose.
3. Everything else: the personal-use rule
Non-controlled medication, which includes most antidepressants, blood pressure and diabetes drugs, and several drugs that are scheduled in the US but not in Korea, enters freely up to six bottles or a three-month supply. Search your medication from the home page for its specific verdict.
Questions
What drugs are completely banned in South Korea?
Substances in annex 3 of the narcotics decree, the schedule for psychotropics with no accepted medical use in Korea: LSD, MDMA, psilocybin, and over a hundred research chemicals. Cannabis products including wellness CBD are blocked as well, apart from a few named prescription medicines admitted case by case through the Korea Orphan and Essential Drug Center.
Is Adderall banned in Korea?
Not outright, despite what many summaries say. Amphetamines fall under the same rule as other controlled medications: written MFDS approval before entry. The permit review is strict and no amphetamine product is sold within Korea, but the legal route exists.
What happens if I carry a prohibited substance in?
Seizure at minimum. The US Embassy in Seoul warns that possession can lead to arrest, criminal charges, and deportation, regardless of a home-country prescription, and the rules apply during airport layovers too.
My medication is legal at home. Does that matter?
No. Korean law follows its own schedules, which cut both ways: some US over-the-counter products (NyQuil, for its dextromethorphan) are controlled in Korea, while some US-scheduled drugs (tramadol, pregabalin, modafinil) are ordinary prescription medicines there.
Sources
- Narcotics Control Act Enforcement Decree, annexes 1 to 6 · Last verified: 2026-08-23
- U.S. Embassy Seoul: Information on Controlled Substances · Last verified: 2026-08-23
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.