Unauthorized imports of <a href="https://healthylife7.com/new-weight-loss-and-diabetes-pill-available-in-uk-pharmacies/” title=”New weight loss and diabetes pill available in UK pharmacies”>weight-loss medications into South Korea surged in the first half of this year, reaching 3.5 times the total recorded throughout 2025, according to the Korea Customs Service on Monday
A total of 4,155 cases involving drugs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro were detected in the first six months of this year, up from 1,189 cases for all of last year. Since 2024, customs authorities have identified 5,348 unauthorized imports of weight-loss medications
Unauthorized imports of such drugs have risen sharply since Wegovy and Mounjaro were approved for sale in Korea in 2024 and 2025, respectively
They are currently among the country’s most popular weight-loss medications, with Mounjaro leading the market with 323.2 billion won ($234 million) in sales in the first quarter of this year, according to health care data firm IQVIA
One factor behind the increase is that the medications can be purchased more cheaply in some other countries than in Korea
Between 2024 and the first half of this year, weight-loss medications were brought into Korea with proper authorization on just 596 occasions. Of those, 391 occurred in the first half of this year — less than one-tenth compared to unauthorized imports during the same period
Korea maintains strict controls on medications considered vulnerable to misuse or abuse. Although Wegovy and Mounjaro have both been approved for use in Korea, they have been designated by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety as drugs requiring heightened monitoring due to concerns over misuse and abuse
This means that bringing such drugs into Korea is possible only when the relevant import requirements are met. They do not fall under general provisions allowing certain medications to be brought into the country for personal treatment with supporting documents, and additional authorization may be required
Most unauthorized imports were made through international mail. In the first half of this year, 3,489 cases, or 84.8 percent of the total, involved drugs sent by mail. Another 656 cases involved travelers carrying the medications in their luggage
Customs authorities warned that importing Wegovy or Mounjaro without the required authorization may violate the Customs Act and could result in criminal penalties
minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com
