Veterinarians Act (수의사법) — veterinary prescription and diagnosis certificates for animal drugs
The Veterinarians Act (*수의사법*) governs veterinary prescribing; prescription animal drugs (*처방대상 동물용 의약품*) require a vet-issued prescription. The verified Korean text — not the English translation — is the source of record.
Article 12-2 — Issuance of Prescriptions for Prescription Animal Drugs (제12조의2 처방대상 동물용 의약품에 대한 처방전의 발급 등)
Under 제12조의2, a veterinarian (including a veterinarian permanently employed at a livestock farm, zoo, or aquarium under Article 12(5)) must issue a prescription (*처방전*) when it is necessary to administer a prescription animal drug (*처방대상 동물용 의약품*) to an animal (제12조의2 제1항).
The veterinarian must issue the prescription through the veterinarian prescription management system (*수의사처방관리시스템*) under Article 12-3(1) (제12조의2 제2항). Where issuance via the system is impossible due to computer failure, outcall practice, or other unavoidable reason prescribed by Presidential Decree, the veterinarian issues it by the method prescribed by Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Ordinance and must register it in the system within 3 days from the day the unavoidable reason ends.
(Amendment notes verbatim: 개정 2019. 8. 27., 2020. 5. 19.; 신설 2019. 8. 27.)
Article 12 — Diagnosis Certificates etc. (제12조 진단서 등)
Under 제12조(진단서 등), a veterinarian may not issue a diagnosis certificate, ophthalmoscopic certificate, certificate, or prescription (including an electronic-document prescription with an electronic signature under the Electronic Signature Act) without directly examining or inspecting the animal, and may not prescribe/administer animal drugs under Pharmacy Act Article 85(6) (*「약사법」 제85조제6항*) — called prescription animal drugs (*처방대상 동물용 의약품*) (제12조 제1항). Where the examining veterinarian cannot issue a certificate for unavoidable reasons, another veterinarian at the same animal hospital may issue it based on the medical record.
Where an animal dies (*폐사*) during treatment under paragraph 1, the death diagnosis certificate may be issued by a different veterinarian (제12조 제2항). A veterinarian who is requested to issue a certificate/prescription for an animal directly examined or inspected must not refuse without just cause (제12조 제3항).
(Amendment notes verbatim: 개정 2012. 2. 22., 2019. 8. 27.; 개정 2012. 2. [truncated in source].)
Source: pdf-raw/kr-vet-drug/veterinarian_act.txt — first-hand official Korean text, retrieved 2026-07-24 (W24 Korea first pass).