Is Hydrocodone legal in South Korea?
- Legal status
- Hydrocodone is a narcotic under the Narcotics Control Act; it is not marketed in South Korea but sits in the same narcotic strong-opioid tier as morphine and oxycodone — left to confirmation.
- Consequences if caught
- Unauthorised possession or use up to 5 years or more; trafficking heavier.
- If prescribed or medical
- No marketed Korean hydrocodone product; a narcotic opioid is dispensed only on a narcotic prescription.
- Documentation
- Traveller trap: advance MFDS import approval is required for any opioid regardless of amount (apply about 2 weeks ahead), even with a foreign prescription.
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with South Korea’s embassy or official drug authority before traveling; penalties can be severe, including imprisonment.
Before you travel
Verify current rules with the destination country’s official drug authority and your own country’s embassy before traveling. Find the destination’s U.S. embassy & official country guidance →
Non-U.S. travelers: check your own government’s travel advisory and embassy.
If you’re detained or arrested abroad
Contact your own country’s embassy or consulate in the destination immediately — not the destination’s authorities. U.S. citizens: contact the nearest U.S. embassy/consulate and the U.S. State Department at +1-202-501-4444 (from abroad). If a U.S. citizen is arrested or detained abroad →