A significant majority of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) obesity treatment drugs in South Korea are being distributed in the Greater Seoul area, highlighting a growing supply imbalance that may limit access for patients in other regions.
Data released by the Ministry of Health and Welfare on Wednesday shows that of the 914,000 units of Wegovy and Mounjaro supplied nationwide in November 2025, approximately 601,000 units—or 65.8 percent—went to Greater Seoul, which includes Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi Province.
Seoul accounted for 34.5 percent of the total supply, followed by Gyeonggi Province at 26 percent and Incheon at 5.3 percent. Outside the capital area, Busan and Daegu received 5.9 percent and 4 percent, respectively, while most other regions were allocated roughly 1 percent each.
The concentration of GLP-1 drugs in the Seoul metropolitan area far exceeds its share of the population. Greater Seoul houses about 50 percent of South Korea’s population but receives nearly two-thirds of the country’s supply of these drugs.
The trend reflects high demand in Seoul and surrounding areas, where a large number of aesthetic clinics prescribe the medications, marketed as “dream obesity treatments.” However, experts warn that the uneven distribution may hinder access for patients in non-metropolitan regions, which often have higher obesity rates.
According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, South Jeolla Province and Jeju Island recorded the highest obesity rates nationwide at 36.8 percent in 2024. At the local level, Danyang and Boeun in North Chungcheong Province and Cheorwon in Gangwon Province reported three-year average obesity rates exceeding 41 percent. By contrast, Seoul’s obesity rate was 31 percent, with Gangnam-gu—the district receiving 16 percent of the country’s Wegovy and Mounjaro supply—reporting the lowest rate in the capital at 24 percent.
Rep. Seo Mi-hwa of the Democratic Party of Korea, who obtained the data from the ministry, urged authorities to address the regional disparity. “A supply concentration of obesity drugs in specific regions, amid surging demand, can limit consumer access,” Seo said. “Relevant authorities need to closely monitor the situation to prevent price distortions or disruptions to market order.”
