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Food Ministry refers over 40 to prosecutors over illegal deer antler trade

Published: 16 Sep. 2025, 15:26 Updated: 16 Sep. 2025, 17:51

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety cracked down on vendors who manufactured, sold and distributed deer antlers without a pharmaceutical manufacturing license. The photo shows seized deer antlers. [MINISTRY OF FOOD AND DRUG SAFETY]

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said Tuesday it referred four people who processed and sold deer antler slices without a drug license to prosecutors, along with 37 others who distributed them, for violating the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act.

The ministry said it launched an investigation after receiving information that unlicensed velvet antler slices were being sold at a traditional market in Seoul. Called nokyong, the growing antlers of deer are used in Korea to make traditional medicine or dietary supplements.

“Officials conducted surveillance at locations suspected of being unlicensed drug manufacturing sites and confirmed deliveries of velvet antlers, oxygen and ethanol as well as shipments of finished slices,” the ministry said.

“Investigators seized about 1,448 kilograms [3,192 pounds] of deer antlers and slices, manufacturing equipment and transaction ledgers during a raid.”

Investigators found that three unlicensed facilities produced 7,917 kilograms of deer antler slices between October 2021 and April this year, selling 6,429 kilograms worth about 4.1 billion won ($3 million) to 27 pharmaceutical manufacturers and wholesalers across the country.

Two of the suspects allegedly operated unsanitary facilities that were ineligible for licensing, using gas cylinders, torches, cutters, drying racks and blow dryers to make slices from imported antlers from Russia and New Zealand.

Another suspect allegedly manufactured and sold deer antler slices from a facility that had not received approval for a change of location.

Distributors bought the unlicensed products despite knowing they were unauthorized, citing lower prices, and sold them to about 212 Oriental medicine clinics and wholesalers nationwide. Eight pharmaceutical companies were caught repackaging the slices in bags with their own logos and distributing them.

The ministry urged caution, saying, “Unlicensed deer antler slices are not subject to manufacturing and quality control, so their safety cannot be guaranteed. Pharmacists and consumers should only buy standardized herbal medicine ingredients.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY RHEE ESTHER [[email protected]]