Restricted (Not Banned) Items to South Korea: What You Can Send With the Right Conditions (2026)
'Prohibited' and 'restricted' are not the same. Plenty of items are allowed into Korea — you just have to meet a condition (a limit, a permit, a document). This master list shows exactly what each needs.
Key takeaways
- Prohibited = never allowed; restricted = allowed if you meet a condition (quantity limit, permit or document).
- Food, supplements, medicines, functional cosmetics, electronics and perfume are restricted, not banned.
- Meeting the condition up front (limit, prescription, MFDS/KC, declaration) is what keeps them moving.
- When in doubt, send us the item list — we confirm the exact condition before pickup.
Quick answer — 'restricted' means 'allowed, with a condition'
Don't confuse prohibited with restricted. Prohibited items (narcotics, weapons, counterfeits) never go. Restricted items are perfectly sendable once you meet a condition — a quantity limit, a permit, or a document. Most things people worry about (food, supplements, medicines, cosmetics, perfume, electronics) are restricted, not banned. This guide lists the condition for each so your parcel clears the first time.
Food: sealed and within limits
Processed, commercially sealed food is restricted and generally fine within personal quantities (commonly up to about 5 kg). Meat products, and many dairy and fresh/perishable items, are effectively prohibited under Korean quarantine rules. Keep labels and ingredients visible and declare specifically.
Supplements and vitamins: mind the bottle count
Health-functional foods — vitamins, protein, herbal supplements — are restricted to roughly 6 bottles for personal use. Above that they're treated as formal imports needing declaration. Ship within the limit and declare them accurately.
Medicines: small, personal, documented
Personal-use medicines are restricted: modest quantities, the prescription in the box, and awareness that some drugs need MFDS approval or are barred. Never send controlled substances. See our medicines guide for the detail.
Cosmetics and perfume
General cosmetics ship freely in personal quantities. 'Functional' cosmetics making whitening/anti-wrinkle/SPF claims can require KFDA/MFDS documentation at volume. Perfume is restricted twice over — alcohol-based sprays are dangerous goods by air, and only a small volume (around 60 ml) is duty-free.
Electronics and batteries
A personal phone, laptop or router is generally fine; commercial quantities of radio devices fall under KC certification. Batteries are the classic trap: loose lithium cells and power banks are restricted/forbidden by air, while a battery installed inside a device within watt-hour limits is usually acceptable.
How to clear a restriction — and who to ask
The pattern is always the same: stay within the limit, attach the permit or prescription, or provide the certificate. At booking we map your item to its exact condition and either ship it correctly or suggest a compliant alternative. Send your list to WhatsApp +91 78003 20078. Related: prohibited items to Korea, send power bank/battery to Korea, personal-use import limits.
