Korean Cannabis Legislation입법동향
Tracking cannabis, hemp, and CBD-related bills in the Korean National Assembly — proposal status and committee review progress.
Partial Amendment to the Act on the Control of Narcotics
Rep. 서미화 et al. (10 co-sponsors) · Proposed 2026-03-26 · Health and Welfare Committee
This bill would classify cannabis-derived components with medical utility, including CBD, as psychotropic medicines, enabling domestic manufacture and marketing authorization. It would also create a licensing framework for cannabis cultivation for medical purposes, clarify the statutory definition of cannabis in line with Supreme Court case 2022du60776, and establish a designated raw-material management support center for medical narcotics.
Key Provisions
- ✓Classifies CBD and other cannabis-derived components as psychotropic medicines, allowing domestic drug manufacture and marketing authorization
- ✓Expands the definition of medical-purpose cannabis cultivators and creates an MFDS licensing procedure
- ✓Creates a designated raw-material management support center for medical narcotics
- ✓Clarifies that CBD falls within the legal definition of cannabis, reflecting Supreme Court precedent
Special Act on Fostering the Hemp Industry and Ensuring Hemp Safety
Rep. 윤준병 et al. (11 co-sponsors) · Proposed 2026-02-25 · Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee
A dedicated hemp statute that would define cannabis below a specified THC threshold as hemp and establish a safety-management framework for cultivation, processing, distribution and sale. It would create a legal basis for hemp applications in medical, food and industrial sectors, while building industry infrastructure through a Hemp Industry Promotion Institute and designated hemp clusters.
Key Provisions
- ✓Defines hemp separately from narcotics for cannabis below the statutory THC threshold
- ✓Introduces licensing for hemp cultivation, breeding, manufacturing and sales, involving both agriculture and food-safety authorities
- ✓Establishes a Hemp Industry Promotion Institute and a five-year comprehensive plan
- ✓Creates a designation system for regional hemp industry clusters
- ✓Builds a hemp traceability-management system led by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety
Partial Amendment to the Act on the Control of Narcotics
Rep. 김형동 et al. (13 co-sponsors) · Proposed 2026-07-06 · Health and Welfare Committee
This bill would classify medically useful cannabis-derived components, including CBD, as psychotropic medicines and permit domestic manufacture. It would create a licensing framework for medical cannabis cultivators and establish a state-led raw-material management center for medical narcotics, overseeing the supply chain from cultivation through extraction, manufacturing and allocation.
Key Provisions
- ✓Classifies CBD and other cannabis-derived components as psychotropic medicines, allowing domestic drug manufacture and marketing authorization
- ✓Creates an MFDS licensing framework for medical-purpose cannabis cultivation
- ✓Establishes a state-led raw-material management center for medical narcotics
- ✓Sets up state oversight from cultivation and extraction through manufacturing and raw-material allocation
Partial Amendment to the Act on the Control of Narcotics
Rep. 신성범 et al. (10 co-sponsors) · Proposed 2026-07-06 · Health and Welfare Committee
This bill would exclude hemp containing no more than 0.3% THC by dry weight from the statutory definition of cannabis, enabling lawful use across medical, functional-food, cosmetics, textile and feed sectors. It reflects WHO recommendations and the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs decision on cannabis scheduling, while extending the industrialization model demonstrated in the Gyeongbuk Hemp Regulatory Free Zone nationwide.
Key Provisions
- ✓Excludes hemp containing no more than 0.3% THC from the statutory definition of cannabis
- ✓Allows lawful use in medical, functional-food, cosmetics, textile, feed and other sectors
- ✓Reflects WHO recommendations and the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs decision in domestic law
- ✓Extends the Gyeongbuk Hemp Regulatory Free Zone model into a nationwide framework
This page is based on publicly available data from the Korean National Assembly Bill Information System. Legislative status may not reflect real-time updates. For the latest information, please visit the National Assembly Bill Information System.