[Exclusive] Despite Ban on Direct Purchase of Hair Loss Medicine... Customs Procedures Full of Loopholes

Q10 Store Allows Minoxidil Purchase
Customs Service: "100% Blocking of Import Is Impossible"
MFDS Requests Site Blocking from KCC

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has decided to block the domestic customs clearance of hair loss treatment minoxidil, antipyretic analgesic Tylenol, and digestive aid Tums, but it has been confirmed that minoxidil is still available for purchase on some overseas direct purchase (direct buying) sites.

According to Singapore-based e-commerce platform Qoo10 on the 13th, 17 products of the topical hair loss medicine 'Kirkland Signature Minoxidil' are registered, with hundreds of purchase reviews. The product is being sold with free shipping within a few days if there are no errors in customs clearance and delivery information.

The seller stated regarding customs clearance availability, "It is classified as a customs clearance item, so large shipments are currently difficult, and small quantities are being shipped sequentially," adding, "All orders are being shipped, and buyers are receiving them. Refunds are provided if customs clearance fails."

Kirkland Signature Minoxidil sold on Qoo10.
[Image source=Qoo10]

There also appear to be cases where the item name is disguised as a health supplement to facilitate smooth customs clearance of minoxidil. Buyers left reviews such as, "The seller wrote the item name as vitamins and sent it," "I thought it wouldn't clear customs, but it arrived well," and "I order it every time and use it well."

The reason for purchasing hair loss medicine through overseas direct purchase is the lower price. Although the recent rise in the won-dollar exchange rate has not caused a large gap based on the lowest price, overseas direct purchase is still cheaper than buying at large pharmacies in Jongno, known as a sanctuary for those with hair loss. On Qoo10, minoxidil is sold at 100 KRW per 1mL and 72,680 KRW for 720mL (a one-year supply). At large pharmacies in Jongno, prices vary by product, ranging from 115 to 460 KRW per 1mL and 82,800 to 331,200 KRW for 720mL.

Under the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, online sales of pharmaceuticals are illegal. The Act specifies that only licensed pharmacy operators can sell pharmaceuticals. Even for over-the-counter drugs, sellers must register with the market, military, or district office and comply with regulations such as maintaining a 24/7 store. Violations can result in imprisonment for up to five years or fines up to 50 million KRW. This provision applies only to sellers, with no separate regulations for buyers.

Earlier, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety requested the Korea Customs Service in May to block customs clearance of minoxidil, Tylenol, and Tums. Since then, the Customs Service has established and implemented a system to strengthen domestic customs clearance of these pharmaceuticals. However, sales and importation of minoxidil continue. It can be inferred that under the current system, domestic distribution of other prohibited import items is also sufficiently possible.

Overseas direct purchase products go through express customs clearance procedures, general import customs clearance procedures, or postal customs clearance procedures depending on the shipping method. During this process, customs clearance is determined based on harmful ingredient information received from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. Items are screened based on item name, ingredients, country of manufacture, and undergo X-ray inspection. However, there is a loophole in that 100% prevention of importation is impossible if sellers intentionally deceive with item names and ingredients. A Customs Service official said, "We operate according to the screening criteria provided by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety," but added, "It is impossible to filter out all prohibited import items at the customs clearance stage. It is realistically impossible."

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety stated that it has requested the Korea Communications Commission to block Qoo10’s minoxidil sales site. A ministry official explained, "The sale and advertisement of pharmaceuticals online violate the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, and we are working to eradicate misuse and illegal distribution of pharmaceuticals," but added, "Blocking sales sites is the exclusive task of the Korea Communications Commission, and it is known to be difficult to actually block sites operated on overseas servers such as Qoo10."