Korean customs officials detected 4,155 illegal imports of Wegovy and Mounjaro from January through June 2026, 3.5 times the 1,189 cases recorded during all of 2025 and more than the previous annual record in just six months. The cumulative total rose to 5,348 cases from 2024 through June 2026, while only 596 shipments cleared customs through authorized importers over the same period. International mail accounted for 3,489 cases, or 84.8% of the total, and traveler-carried imports reached 656. The surge is being driven in part by a large price gap: a four-week supply of Mounjaro 2.5 mg costs about ₩290,000 in South Korea versus ₩74,000 in Japan. South Korea classifies Mounjaro and Wegovy as hazardous pharmaceuticals, making imports prohibited regardless of quantity without an import requirement confirmation exemption recommendation. Customs destroys seized products, but experts say enforcement must be paired with measures to reduce price disparities and patients’ financial burden.