South Korea sees 3.5x surge in illegal Wegovy and Mounjaro imports

Illegal imports of obesity treatments, specifically Wegovy and Mounjaro, have surged in South Korea. According to the Korea Customs Service, 4,155 cases were detected in the first half of this year, representing a 3.5-fold increase compared to the total number of cases recorded throughout all of last year.

The majority of these attempts—84.8%—involved international mail, as individuals attempted to purchase the drugs from overseas websites via direct shipping. There has also been a significant rise in illegal imports through travelers' personal belongings.

While some medications are permitted for personal use within specific limits, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has designated Wegovy and Mounjaro as ‘harmful drugs’ to prevent unauthorized individual imports. Consequently, the Korea Customs Service blocks these items regardless of quantity, and all intercepted products are subject to total destruction.