Legal experts are warning that some South Korean clinics may be violating medical laws by prescribing weight-loss drugs without proper examinations [1].

This trend raises significant public health concerns because medications like Wegovy and Mounjaro are intended for specific medical conditions rather than general cosmetic use. When prescriptions are issued superficially, patients may be exposed to risks without the necessary clinical oversight required for such potent medications [1].

Lawyer Lee Seong-ho said the issue on the YTN radio program “Case X-File” on Thursday [1]. He said that legally, these drugs should be prescribed only when a patient meets a specific Body Mass Index (BMI) threshold, or has related medical conditions that justify the need for the medication [1].

Despite these regulations, Lee said some clinics appear to be over-prescribing the drugs to patients seeking them for purely cosmetic purposes as part of a commercial diet trend [1]. This practice has been amplified by the emergence of the “Wegovy holy site” (위고비 성지) marketing slogan, which some medical institutions use to attract customers [1].

Lee said the use of the term “Wegovy holy site” in advertisements is risky because it may imply that medical examinations are conducted only as a formality [1]. Such a practice could be interpreted as a breach of legal prescribing standards, as the drugs are pharmaceutical treatments and not simple beauty products [1].

Under South Korean medical law, physicians are required to perform a thorough diagnosis before issuing a prescription. The current trend of treating these medications as commercial commodities suggests a gap between regulatory requirements and actual clinic practices [1].

“‘Wegovy holy site’ advertisements risk implying that examinations are conducted only as a formality.”

The rise of 'prescription tourism' for GLP-1 agonists in South Korea indicates a tension between the high commercial demand for rapid weight loss and strict medical safety protocols. If clinics prioritize profit over diagnostic rigor, it could lead to a systemic failure in drug safety monitoring and potentially trigger a regulatory crackdown on medical marketing practices.