Testosterone 🇰🇷 South Korea
Testosterone may require documentation or declaration
Can I bring Testosterone into South Korea?
Testosterone may require documentation or declaration
Full details
Testosterone may require documentation or declaration. Enforcement in South Korea carries fines from KRW 200,000 to KRW 10,000,000 under Customs Act Art. 269, Art. 270 (ordinary personal cases are handled as civil infringements). Restricted status means compliant carriage is achievable with the right paperwork and quantities; the practical risks are seizure, duty, and delay rather than criminal liability for a good-faith traveller. Arrival checks are carried out by Korea Customs Service (KCS); when in doubt use the declare (red) channel — declared goods at worst attract duty or surrender, while undeclared goods attract penalties. Leaving South Korea with testosterone is a separate question: restricted — Testosterone is a controlled anabolic steroid; personal export from South Korea requires the prescription and stays within personal-use limits.
PENALTIES
- Fine: 200000–10000000 KRW
- Civil penalty only
Leaving South Korea with testosterone
Testosterone and other anabolic steroids are controlled substances in most jurisdictions (US Schedule III; UK Class C; equivalents elsewhere) under the Narcotics Control Act; MFDS personal-export authorisation framework. Personal-use quantities for legitimate hormone therapy, accompanied by the prescription and doctor's letter, are generally permitted for export from South Korea. Injectable formulations should stay in pharmacy packaging with needles documented. Quantities beyond personal-use supply are treated as trafficking; a MFDS export permit is required for above-personal quantities.
South Korea restricts import of Testosterone for personal use. Carry the prescription, a doctor's letter stating medical need, and the pharmacy dispensing label. Some controlled substances require an advance import permit from the destination Ministry of Health regardless of foreign prescription. Verify the destination's scheduling of the specific active ingredient before travel — mis-scheduled substances have been seized at borders even with valid foreign prescriptions.
This page covers destination customs rules in South Korea. Whether you can carry testosterone through security, in carry-on, or in checked baggage depends on airline and screening rules — see air travel rules.
Related rules
Testosterone rules in other countries
Testosterone
🇦🇺 Australia
Prescription required, must declare at customs
Testosterone
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
Requires MOH pre-approval
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🇺🇸 United States
Schedule III controlled substance — prescription required
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🇯🇵 Japan
Controlled anabolic steroid; Yakkan Shoumei needed
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🇨🇦 Canada
Schedule IV controlled substance
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🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Testosterone may require documentation or declaration