Is Kratom legal in South Korea?
- Legal status
- Kratom is controlled in South Korea — categorised as a psychotropic under the Narcotics Control Act (reported since 2021), with the MFDS barring import of kratom, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine as food/supplement ingredients; the exact statutory basis is left to confirmation.
- Consequences if caught
- Unauthorised handling of a controlled psychotropic is prosecutable under the Narcotics Control Act (imprisonment and fines).
- If prescribed or medical
- No lawful medical route — kratom and its alkaloids are barred by the MFDS with no registered medicinal product.
- Documentation
- The MFDS import prohibition applies to kratom, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine; there is no personal-import route.
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 →