🇰🇷 South Korea · 관세청

South Korea customs & border

What foreign visitors can bring across a Korean border. Every section cites the relevant Korean authority — Korea Customs Service (관세청 KCS), Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (식품 의약품안전처 MFDS), MOLIT (국토교통부), and the Narcotics Control Act (마약류 관리에 관한 법률). Korea is generally easier for foreign drivers than Japan, but its cannabis law applies even to acts committed abroad by Korean citizens — visitors should expect the same scrutiny on entry.

1. The form: Korean customs declaration

Every passenger entering Korea fills in a Customs Declaration on arrival — usually distributed in-flight or available at the arrivals hall. One declaration per family travelling together. See KCS' travelers guide for the official walkthrough. If you have nothing to declare, you may use the green channel; for anything potentially restricted, use red. Under-declaration is treated as smuggling.

2. Currency: US$10,000 declaration threshold

Travelers carrying more than the equivalent of US$10,000 in cash, traveler's cheques, or other monetary instruments must declare it on arrival. KCS publishes the threshold and reporting rules under the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act — see KCS duty-free / declaration page. Penalties for non-declaration include seizure and fines.

3. Food, plants, and agricultural items

Korea's agricultural quarantine is strict and well enforced (it sits under the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, APQA — part of MAFRA). Most fresh produce, raw meat, dairy, and live plants require inspection or are prohibited outright. The KCS prohibited & restricted items list is the authoritative source. Declare anything you're unsure about — APQA officers, not you, decide if it's admissible.

4. Prescription medications

Korea is generally less strict than Japan for medications, but some are banned. Carry medications in their original prescribed containers with the prescribing doctor's name visible, plus a doctor's letter for anything that could be questioned. Personal-use quantities for the duration of your visit are typically fine. See MFDS guidance for the official authority. Larger quantities or psychotropic drugs may require advance approval — contact the Korean embassy before travel if uncertain.

5. Drones (UAS)

Korea regulates drones through MOLIT. Operators of drones above 2 kg total mass must register, and pilots above certain weight thresholds must hold a qualification — see MOLIT's drone operator and registration page. Foreign visitors flying recreationally must comply with no-fly zones (especially around the DMZ, all military bases, the Blue House / Cheongwadae area, and most airports). Apps like Ready to Fly (Korean Aero Info) help check restricted airspace. Carrying a drone in luggage is permitted; flying it without checking the airspace is not.

6. Cannabis: zero tolerance, including extraterritorial

Korea's Narcotics Control Act prohibits all forms of cannabis — possession, importation, manufacture, and use — with prison terms for violators. The striking provision: it has been applied extraterritorially against Korean citizens who used cannabis legally in another country. While foreign visitors typically face the in-country provisions (importation and possession), the cultural and enforcement bar is much lower than in many Western jurisdictions. Don't carry cannabis across the Korean border in any form, including CBD products unless explicitly cleared by MFDS in advance.

Bringing your vehicle

Importing a personal vehicle to Korea triggers customs valuation plus type-approval inspection by KOTSA. We treat that separately — see our Korea country guide.

Sources

1. [KCS]KCS — Customs Information for Travelers — KCS · accessed 2026-04-30
2. [KCS]KCS — Travelers Declaration / Duty-Free Allowance — KCS
3. [KCS]KCS — Prohibited and Restricted Items — KCS
4. [MFDS]MFDS — Personal Importation of Medicines — MFDS
5. [MOLIT]MOLIT — Drone Operator Qualification & Registration — MOLIT
6. [KLRI]Korea Narcotics Control Act (마약류 관리에 관한 법률) — KLRI (Korea Legislation Research Institute)