Illegal imports of weight-loss drugs like Wegovy, Mounjaro more than triple in S. Korea

Seoul: The number of attempts to illegally import weight-loss medications, such as Wegovy and Mounjaro, from abroad in the first half was more than triple those caught for the whole of 2025, customs data showed on Monday.

A total of 4,155 cases involving the illegal import of Wegovy and Mounjaro through overseas direct purchases and other illicit channels were detected in the January-June period, far exceeding the 1,189 cases tallied last year, according to data compiled by the Korea Customs Service.

By contrast, 391 cases of Wegovy and Mounjaro were legally cleared by customs in the first six months of the year, compared with 191 cases in all of 2025, reports Yonhap news agency.

Most of the illegal imports involved mail, as an increasing number of people purchase the weight-loss medications from overseas online malls and have them delivered via international shipping.

The customs agency detected 3,489 illegal mail shipments containing Wegovy and Mounjaro in the first half of this year, more than triple the 1,046 cases recorded in all of 2025.

Meanwhile, 656 cases involved the medications being carried by individual travelers, up from 134 cases last year.

Wegovy and Mounjaro are banned from being brought into the country in travelers' hand luggage.

"Unauthorised imports of Wegovy and Mounjaro are a serious violation of the Customs Act and are subject to punishment," a customs official said. "We will thoroughly block the illegal inflow of harmful pharmaceuticals at the border."

Meanwhile, South Korea's major pharmaceutical companies spent around 100 billion won ($72.13 million) each in the first half for the research and development (R&D) of new drugs, data showed, in an apparent bid to secure future growth engines.

Yuhan Corp., famous for its anti-inflammatory ointment Antiphlamine, said in a regulatory filing that it invested a total of 122.2 billion won in R&D during the January-June period, up 13.8 percent from the same period last year.

The amount accounts for 10.5 percent of sales generated during the first half of this year, according to its regulatory filing.

Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical Corp., known for its household pain reliever Penzal, injected 113.5 billion won, or 12.3 percent of its first half sales, into new drug development.

The amount is up by 36.6 percent compared to its R&D spending in the first half of 2025, the company's regulatory filing showed.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

IANS

[email protected]