Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Canonite]

Yes, I searched...my question is, is there a limit to how much prescription and over the counter drugs one can bring into SK?

Obviouslsy I won't be bringing a suitcase full of them, just what I need for a year. For the prescription ones I'm going to get a doctor's note explaining them (if I find a doctor willing to sign off on it). The non prescription one will probably be one or two bottles of ibuprofen.

Thanks

[Radius]

you'll be fine, sock it away in your carry on bag and no one will ever know.

[Canonite]

Awesome, thanks And carry on? Why? I was planning on stashing it in my big checked luggage...

[Radius]

[Illysook]

Bring what you need. It's not difficult to get meds here, but if you can pay a few dollars for your meds through one of those low cost programs like Kroger and Walmart have in the US, you should do it. My meds cost $5.00 a month at Kroger and 40,000 Won a month here. Not only that, but the doctor would only prescribe for 30 days at a time.

[crossmr]

You can get ibuprofen here, but only in a 10 pack (of 600 or 400 mg pills). So bring your own, but if you run out you can replace it.

You can bring personal use. just don't jam like 20 bottles of ibuprofen in your suitcase. That might raise suspicion.

any prescription medicine you should carry on. If your luggage was lost or delayed OTC stuff can be replaced and is usually not that important. Prescription stuff requires a trip to a hospital/doc first which delays getting it.

[Canonite]

Thanks for the advice...yeah, Ibuprofen is a hit or miss with me...sometimes I don't take it for weeks (months?) sometimes I take it for a week straight. I'll probably bring a bottle just to be on the safe side.

I have an inhaler, though...and I stocked up on it...however, I was planning on only bringing the cartridges for most of them, which don't have my name on it. Will this be a problem, or am I worrying too much about nothing?

And yeah, I was planning on putting some in my carry on, some in my checked and leaving some at home for my parents to send later, in case everything goes wrong

[NYC_Gal 2.0]

Carry prescription meds in your carry on. OTC stuff can go in your checked luggage. It's a lot easier to replace OTC stuff, and checked luggage CAN get lost.

In my checked luggage at the start of year one, I had a Costco-sized bottle of Advil, 4 packs of numbing throat lozenges (I get sore throats and these are a lifesaver), 3 packs of pepto stomach meds (you never know when moving to a new country), a large bottle of Benadryl, a tube of Benadryl cream for mosquito bites, a tube of Neosporin, and 2 bottles of Nyquil. My second year I only stocked up on the throat lozenges. I still have some Advil left, even with my friends using it all the time.

My prescription meds were all in my carry on, though (all things that I can easily get here, like sleep meds, steroid ointment for allergy-induced hives, and birth control), so I only brought them the first time around. I had no issues. You should be fine.

[Riker]

I had a question similar to this. I'm not currently on any medication and I stated as much on my Immigration health form, but I might bring some sleeping / flight medication ( Valium ) in case I have trouble sleeping. Will customs have a problem with that?

Would it just be easier to get it there?

[Illysook]

Customs isn't likely to have a problem with it, but you might not be able to pass your drug test for employment.