Can I bring Hydrocodone to Korea?
Hydrocodone · Vicodin · Norco · Lortab
Required사전 승인 필요
Hydrocodone requires prior approval from the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) before you travel.
Korea lists hydrocodone in annex 1 of the Narcotics Control Act enforcement decree, its narcotics schedule. You need written MFDS approval before entering with it. The permit covers at most a 90-day supply; apply 3 to 4 weeks before travel and declare the medication at customs.
How to apply for MFDS approval →How Korea classifies it
Under the Narcotics Control Act, Hydrocodone is a narcotic (마약), listed in annex 1 of the enforcement decree, the decree's first narcotics schedule, which covers opium-derived and related substances. The classification attaches to the substance itself, so it applies to every product, brand, and dosage form that contains it. That is why the entry rule does not depend on how much you carry or whether your home prescription is valid: the substance triggers the permit requirement on its own.
Before you fly
- 1.Apply for the MFDS self-treatment permit at least 3 to 4 weeks before departure, online at nedrug.mfds.go.kr or by email to narcotics@korea.kr. Results are issued within 10 business days.
- 2.Prepare a passport copy, your flight itinerary, the prescription, and a doctor's note stating diagnosis and daily dose, in Korean or English. The permit covers up to a 90-day supply.
- 3.Pack the medication in its original packaging with the pharmacy label attached. Loose pills in an unmarked container invite questions you do not want at the border.
- 4.On arrival, take the goods-to-declare channel and show the permit with the medication.
Questions
Can I refill Vicodin or Norco in Korea?
Realistically no. Hydrocodone barely exists on the Korean market (a single combination product is listed), and Korean doctors manage pain with other opioids. Bring your full approved supply, or plan a switch to a locally available medication with a Korean doctor.
Related medications
Verified 2026-08-23
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MedsToKorea is an independent site with no affiliation to the Korean government. Travel preparation only, not medical or legal advice. Regulations change: confirm with the MFDS, Korea Customs Service, or a Korean embassy before traveling. We store no searches and no health data.