Is Synthetic Cannabinoids (K2 / Spice) legal in South Korea?
- Legal status
- Controlled as a class. South Korea controls synthetic cannabinoids under the Act on the Control of Narcotics, Etc., using its temporary-designation power to schedule new synthetic cannabinoids quickly and then permanently listing them as psychotropics, incorporating the synthetic cannabinoids added to Schedule II of the 1971 Convention.
- Consequences if caught
- Illegal; possession and supply carry imprisonment, with strict enforcement extending to citizens abroad. No death penalty for this substance class.
- If prescribed or medical
- These synthetic cannabinoids have no recognised medical use and no lawful prescription route in South Korea.
- Documentation
- No lawful personal-import route for controlled synthetic cannabinoids; do not carry.
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 →