Birth Control › Plan B Pills

Plan B (Emergency Contraceptive Pills) in Busan

Unlike in some countries, you can't buy Plan B-style pills off the shelf in Korea. Emergency contraceptive pills are prescription-only, so the fastest route is a same-day visit to an OB/GYN clinic, then a pharmacy. The sooner you take it, the better it works.

Is Plan B available in Korea?

"Plan B" is a US brand name, but the same type of medicine is sold in Korea under local brand names. The key difference is the rules: Korea classifies emergency contraceptive pills as prescription-only medicines. Proposals to move them to over-the-counter sale have been debated for years, but as of 2026 a doctor's prescription is still required. You cannot buy them at a pharmacy, convenience store or online without one.

What's available

• Levonorgestrel pills – the same active ingredient as Plan B. Most effective when taken as soon as possible, ideally within 24 hours, and labeled for use within 72 hours (3 days).
• Ulipristal acetate pills – labeled for use up to 120 hours (5 days) after sex and generally more effective than levonorgestrel later in that window.
• Copper IUD – the most effective form of emergency contraception when placed within 5 days, and it then continues as ongoing birth control. See Copper IUD .

How to get it fast

• Call an OB/GYN clinic and say you need emergency contraception (in Korean, eung-geup pi-im-yak , 응급피임약). Many see walk-ins the same day.
• The doctor asks a few questions (date of your last period, when unprotected sex happened, any medications). A pelvic exam is usually not needed.
• Take the prescription to a nearby pharmacy. Many clinics have one in the same building.
• On weekends or late at night, look for clinics with Saturday or evening hours in the table below. Some general clinics and hospital ERs can also prescribe.

Cost and insurance

Emergency contraception is not covered by National Health Insurance (NHI), so the pills are self-pay. You will also pay the consultation fee, which is lower if you are enrolled in NHI. Prices vary by brand and pharmacy; ask when you call. See our emergency contraception cost guide .

Tips for foreigners

• Bring your ARC or passport. Clinics need ID to register you.
• Know the date and time of unprotected sex and your last period. It speeds things up.
• If you need an interpreter, call 1330 (Korea Travel Hotline) for phone interpretation.
• Emergency pills don't protect against STIs. Consider STD testing if relevant.

New to Korean healthcare? Read our guide for international patients .

Related

• Emergency Contraception
• Morning After Pill
• Copper IUD
• Pregnancy Test
• Emergency Contraception Cost
• International Patients

Elsewhere in Korea

• Plan B in Seoul
• Emergency contraception in Gangnam, Seoul
• Emergency birth control in Daegu

When to get help sooner

Take a pregnancy test if your period is more than 7 days late after using emergency contraception. Seek urgent care or go to an ER for severe lower abdominal pain, heavy bleeding or fainting, which can signal an ectopic pregnancy. If the sex was not consensual, you can call 112 or the Women's Emergency Hotline 1366 for support.

OB/GYN clinics in Busan to call

Any OB/GYN can prescribe emergency contraception. These clinics are spread across the city. Many keep Saturday or evening hours. Call first to confirm hours and that the doctor is in.

Plan B in Busan: FAQ