South Korea will begin allowing people entering the country to carry limited quantities of weight management drugs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro if they were legally prescribed and purchased overseas.
Starting Thursday, individuals will be permitted to bring in up to six units, equivalent to roughly a three-month supply, for personal treatment, according to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and the Korea Customs Service.
Authorities had restricted the entry of Wegovy and Mounjaro purchased overseas, citing difficulties in verifying their manufacturing and distribution channels and limited legal protections in cases involving recalls or compensation.
The policy was revised following criticism that medicines legally prescribed abroad were being treated in the same way as drugs purchased through unauthorized overseas channels or brought into the country in large quantities.
Between January and August this year, customs authorities detected 1,097 cases involving the unauthorized entry of Wegovy and Mounjaro, more than eight times the 134 cases recorded in all of 2025.
The change could also make it easier for Korean patients to purchase the drugs overseas, particularly in Japan, where prices are recorded to be significantly lower.
A four-week supply of the lowest dose of Mounjaro costs around 300,000 won ($225) in Korea, while some medical institutions in Japan reportedly offer it for around 100,000 won. This is because Mounjaro is listed under Japan’s national health insurance system for Type 2 diabetes, cutting its official price by 25 percent.
The price gap has already prompted some Koreans to travel to Japan for prescriptions, giving rise to the nickname “sushijaro” for Mounjaro purchased there.
Authorities and medical experts have nevertheless raised concerns over improper storage, misuse and possible resale. Injectable obesity treatments generally require refrigerated transport, meaning improper handling could reduce their effectiveness or raise safety risks.
The Food and Drug Safety Ministry said it would monitor the effects of the revised policy with customs authorities while continuing separate measures aimed at ensuring safe use.
lee.jungjoo@heraldcorp.com
