💡 Practical Travel Tips
[South Korea] When Pharmacies Are Closed at Night or on Holidays: The 13 Medicines Sold at Korean Convenience Stores and the Purchase Rules (One Package per Purchase, No Sales to Under-12s)
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🔍 Key Checkpoints
💡 Actionable Tips
- Where: only stores registered with the local public health center, which must run 24 hours a day all year and complete a four-hour seller training. Stores that are not open around the clock may not carry these medicines. The medicines sit on a separate shelf away from ordinary goods and food.
- What: 13 items. Fever and pain relievers: Tylenol 500 mg (8 tablets), Tylenol 160 mg (8 tablets), Children Tylenol 80 mg (10 tablets), Children Tylenol suspension (100 ml), Children Brufen syrup (80 ml). Digestive aids: Beazyme (3 tablets), Dr. Beazyme (3 tablets), Festal Gold (6 tablets), Festal Plus (6 tablets). Cold remedies: Pancol A liquid (30 ml x 3 bottles), Panpyrin-Tea (3 tablets). Pain-relief patches: Jeilcool Poultice (4 sheets), Shinshin Pas Arex (4 sheets).
- Limits: the seller may sell only one package unit per sale, and sales to children under 12 are banned. A guardian or adult has to buy even the children items.
- The official list has only four groups. Medicines for other symptoms are not on it, so go to a pharmacy for those. If symptoms are serious or last long, see a doctor first.
- For international visitors: no prescription is needed because these are over-the-counter medicines for mild symptoms that people can use on their own. The Ministry says nothing about card payment or ID checks at the store, so carry a little cash.
- For international visitors: the Korea Tourism Organization 1330 Travel Helpline gives interpretation help in English, Japanese and Chinese around the clock (+82-2-1330 from abroad) and can connect you to 119 and other services. The MFDS e-Yakeunyo site explains medicines in plain language, but the screen is in Korean, so use a translation app.
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English Quick Guide & Highlights
[Korea] When Pharmacies Are Closed at Night or on Holidays: The 13 Medicines Sold at Korean Convenience Stores and the Purchase Rules (One Package per Purchase, No Sales to Under-12s)
, South Korea · Travel Tips
Editor’s Verdict
“Registered 24-hour convenience stores sell only 13 designated medicines: fever and pain relievers, digestive aids, cold remedies and pain-relief patches. Buy one package unit of each item at a time, and sales to children under 12 are banned.”
🍽️ Key Takeaways & Points
13 designated items in four groups (fever and pain relievers, digestive aids, cold remedies, pain-relief patches), registered 24-hour stores only, limited to one package unit per sale, no sales to children under 12, separate shelf display
✨ Vibe & Space Atmosphere
Korea lets convenience stores sell a short list of safe, over-the-counter medicines so people can still buy them when pharmacies are closed at night or on public holidays. Facts below come from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, checked on October 23, 2026 (page last updated March 31, 2026).
💡 Essential Notes for International Travelers
- Where: only stores registered with the local public health center, which must run 24 hours a day all year and complete a four-hour seller training. Stores that are not open around the clock may not carry these medicines. The medicines sit on a separate shelf away from ordinary goods and food.
- What: 13 items. Fever and pain relievers: Tylenol 500 mg (8 tablets), Tylenol 160 mg (8 tablets), Children Tylenol 80 mg (10 tablets), Children Tylenol suspension (100 ml), Children Brufen syrup (80 ml). Digestive aids: Beazyme (3 tablets), Dr. Beazyme (3 tablets), Festal Gold (6 tablets), Festal Plus (6 tablets). Cold remedies: Pancol A liquid (30 ml x 3 bottles), Panpyrin-Tea (3 tablets). Pain-relief patches: Jeilcool Poultice (4 sheets), Shinshin Pas Arex (4 sheets).
- Limits: the seller may sell only one package unit per sale, and sales to children under 12 are banned. A guardian or adult has to buy even the children items.
- The official list has only four groups. Medicines for other symptoms are not on it, so go to a pharmacy for those. If symptoms are serious or last long, see a doctor first.
- For international visitors: no prescription is needed because these are over-the-counter medicines for mild symptoms that people can use on their own. The Ministry says nothing about card payment or ID checks at the store, so carry a little cash.
- For international visitors: the Korea Tourism Organization 1330 Travel Helpline gives interpretation help in English, Japanese and Chinese around the clock (+82-2-1330 from abroad) and can connect you to 119 and other services. The MFDS e-Yakeunyo site explains medicines in plain language, but the screen is in Korean, so use a translation app.
- Payment & Cards: Major international credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, JCB) are widely supported.
📖 Strategy Overview & Practical Guide
When pharmacies are closed at night or on public holidays, Korea allows registered 24-hour convenience stores to sell 13 designated safe over-the-counter medicines: five fever and pain relievers, four digestive aids, two cold remedies and two pain-relief patches. The medicines are on a separate shelf, a seller may sell only one package unit per sale, and sales to children under 12 are banned. Stores must be open 24 hours a day all year, and not every store is registered, so stock varies. No prescription is needed, but medicines for other symptoms such as diarrhea or allergies are not on the list and need a pharmacy. Visitors who need interpretation can call the 1330 Travel Helpline in English, Japanese or Chinese around the clock.
