Can I bring Spravato to Korea?
Ketamine / Esketamine · Ketalar · Spravato
Required사전 승인 필요
Spravato (active ingredient: Ketamine / Esketamine) requires prior approval from the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) before you travel.
Korea lists ketamine in annex 4 of the Narcotics Control Act enforcement decree, and the schedules cover isomers, so esketamine (Spravato) falls under the same rule. You need written MFDS approval before entering Korea with either form. Spravato treatment exists in Korea (approved 2020), but it is administered at clinics under supervision, not dispensed for home use.
How to apply for MFDS approval →How Korea classifies it
Under the Narcotics Control Act, Ketamine / Esketamine is a psychotropic substance (향정신성의약품), listed in annex 4 of the enforcement decree, the schedule for psychotropic substances with severe abuse potential and very limited medical use. 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
I receive Spravato treatment. Can I continue it in Korea?
Possibly, at a participating hospital. Esketamine nasal spray was approved in Korea in 2020 for treatment-resistant depression and is given under medical supervision, so ask a Korean psychiatrist about transferring care. You cannot carry doses for self-administration without MFDS approval.
Why does Spravato count as ketamine?
Esketamine is the S-isomer of ketamine, and the Korean decree covers each listed substance plus its salts and isomers. The classification follows the molecule, not the brand.
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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.