Prosecutors Seek Prison Sentence for Woman in Her 50s for Illegal Distribution of Thai Pharmaceuticals

Advertised on Social Media, Distributed to Stores for Foreign Nationals
Retailers Displayed and Sold Over 50 Types of Pharmaceuticals, Face Fines

Prosecutors have sought a prison sentence of one year and six months for a woman in her 50s who acted as a supplier, illegally importing and distributing unapproved Thai pharmaceuticals targeting foreign nationals residing in Korea. Retailers who sold the pharmaceuticals at stores such as Asian Mart have also been indicted and are facing fines.

On May 12, Presiding Judge Kim Sungjun of the Gwangju District Court’s Criminal Division 11 held a sentencing hearing for a total of 10 defendants, including the supplier of the pharmaceuticals, identified as Ms. A (female, age 54), and several retailers, who were charged with violating the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act.

Front view of Gwangju District Court.

At the hearing, prosecutors requested a sentence of one year and six months in prison for Ms. A, who imported and distributed illegal foreign pharmaceuticals. For the other nine defendants, including an employee who assisted in the crime and owners of mart stores, prosecutors requested a fine of 2 million won each.

Ms. A is accused of posting advertisements for various Thai pharmaceuticals on social media from 2022 to 2025 and distributing unapproved pharmaceuticals to stores catering to foreign nationals in Korea, such as Asian Mart. One employee who assisted with packaging and shipping the foreign pharmaceuticals, along with store owners of Korean, Chinese, and Vietnamese nationality, were also indicted.

The remaining defendants received between 40 and 50 types of foreign pharmaceuticals from Ms. A—including Thai anti-inflammatory painkillers, smoking cessation aids, muscle relaxants, and hormone drugs—which they then displayed and sold in their own stores. Investigations revealed that the pharmaceuticals they distributed were either banned from domestic distribution or had not received proper pharmaceutical certification in Korea.

It was found that Ms. A committed the offense by taking advantage of the fact that foreign nationals residing in Korea, such as migrant workers, tend to prefer familiar medicines from their home countries, as they often find domestic medical services difficult to access. During the trial, all defendants admitted to the charges and pleaded for leniency.

The sentencing hearing for these individuals is scheduled to take place in the afternoon on June 25.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.