Marijuana Laws
As recorded December 15, 2025 · not verified as current law. Republic of Korea (South Korea) law
Cannabis laws in Seoul follow Republic of Korea (South Korea)’s national law. This city follows the jurisdiction’s cannabis law framework; separate city laws are typically limited.
Recreational cannabis is illegal. Medical use is highly restricted to approved conditions and products. Strict enforcement applies, with significant legal risk.
Quick facts
- Recreational: Illegal
- Medical: Highly limited
- Possession: Strict penalties
- Buying/Selling: Illegal
- Tourists: No tolerance; high risk
Practical guidance
Avoid cross-border transport of cannabis products. Do not assume informal tolerance equals legality.
Law Enforcement
The “PoPos” were strict and there was constant talk of snitches. A lot of people treated marijuana as a hard drug even if they wouldn’t recognize it by sight or smell. Stories about random searches and urine tests, being asked to name five smokers or a dealer, and jail or deportation circulated among expats.
Some thought Americans were deported more often. A positive test was spoken of as if it were the same as getting caught smoking. Those claims aren’t a reliable account of police powers or outcomes.
Where to Buy Marijuana
There was a new hookah café in Apgujeong where foreigners hung out. Young Canadians teaching English often went to Hongdae’s club street and Itaewon, where an American base drew Americans and other expats. Lime Light near Itaewon station was packed Fridays and Saturdays, with a $20 cover.
Hongdae parking lots and corners came up in conversations about weed. Others said it was VERY hard to find and asking strangers could land you in jail. In Haebangchon and Itaewon, some people found hash through African contacts, or schwag through Nigerian sellers. Suwon and Pyeongtaek were said to have actual flower if you knew someone.
I’d rather know a local than hunt for weed in Hongdae or Itaewon. There was talk of ecstasy and Canadian mail-order sites too, alongside worries about informants.
Marijuana Prices
I paid ₩30,000 a gram for weed said to be imported from America. The guy would light a few free blunts with me. Quotes ran ₩30,000–50,000 or US$35–50 per gram. It could be cheaper through a friend. One exchange quote was about ₩1,100 to a dollar.
Hash went for ₩50,000–80,000 a gram, roughly US$50–80 at the time, and a “quarter sack” of weed for ₩100,000, about US$100.
Types of Marijuana
Mostly shitty homegrown or squashed imports. People said US$50 a gram but could pay US$50–100. Hash was decent compared with other places in Asia, but scarce and expensive.
The Jeju Island weed I tried was great. It was said to come from a government-controlled crop, though I had no way to verify its origin.