What changes did South Korea make to its hoarding bans on urea and medical syringes?

The government extended both bans for two more months until Oct. 31. It also raised the stockpiling threshold for importers, manufacturers and sellers from 150 percent to 200 percent of monthly average sales from last year, as long as the excess is not held for more than seven days.

Gov't extends hoarding bans on urea, medical supplies for 2 months

Q: Why did the finance ministry keep the hoarding restrictions in place?

The ministry said lingering concerns over supply disruptions remained a factor, even though China has recently relaxed its tight control on urea exports. The earlier urea ban was imposed after Beijing halted most fertilizer and urea shipments overseas.

Q: How are the medical syringe and needle stockpiling rules different from the urea rules?

The medical product ban applies to medical product companies, which are prohibited from stockpiling more than 200 percent of their monthly sales recorded last year. The measure was first imposed in April to ease supply disruptions linked to higher petrochemical prices.

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Summary

The government will extend bans on hoarding urea, urea solution, medical syringes and needles for two months until Oct. 31 amid lingering supply disruption concerns. The finance ministry said the revised rule eases stockpiling limits as China has relaxed controls on urea exports. The measure also keeps restrictions on medical product companies through the end of October.

Key Facts

Importers, manufacturers and sellers will be barred from holding more than 200 percent of their monthly average sales from last year for more than seven days, up from the current 150 percent limit.
The ban on hoarding urea and urea solution was first imposed in March after China halted most fertilizer and urea shipments overseas.
Urea is used to reduce emissions in diesel cars and to make agricultural fertilizers.
The separate ban on hoarding medical syringes and needles was first imposed in April and will remain in force until the end of October.

By Yonhap

Published Aug 20, 2026 8:47 am KST

Boxes of urea solution stockpiled at a gas station in Seoul, July 24. Yonhap

Bans on hoarding urea, urea solution, medical syringes and needles will be extended for two months amid lingering concerns over supply disruptions, the finance ministry said Thursday.

In an emergency ministerial-level meeting, the government decided to extend the ban on hoarding until Oct. 31, while easing stockpiling restrictions as China has recently relaxed its tight control on urea exports, according to the Ministry of Finance and Economy.

Under the revised measure, importers, manufacturers and sellers will be prohibited from holding more than 200 percent of their monthly average sales from last year for more than seven days, up from the current limit of 150 percent.

Urea is used to curb emissions in diesel cars and make agricultural fertilizers.

The ban was first imposed in March as Beijing halted most fertilizer and urea shipments overseas.

A separate ban on hoarding medical syringes and needles will also remain in effect until the end of October, the ministry said.

Under the measure, medical product companies are prohibited from stockpiling more than 200 percent of their monthly sales recorded last year.

The measure, first imposed in April, was aimed at easing supply disruptions as military tensions between the United States and Iran drove up petrochemical prices.

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