The Ministry of Health and Welfares has put a brake on the reported stockpiling of cold medicine by Chinese peddlers, as medical supplies get scarce in their country due to a resurge of Covid-19 cases.

The ministry maintains that it can punish selling the excessive cold drug to individual patients for violating the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act.

According to the ministry, a Chinese man with a travel carrier recently bought 6 million won ($4,733) worth of fever reducers and cold medicine at a Hanam, Gyeonggi Province pharmacy. Chinese people’s stockpiling of cold drugs has also been seen in Myongdong, downtown Seoul, and Gangnam, frequented by tourists.

“Pharmacy selling excessive cold medicines to individual patients that cannot be seen for therapeutic purposes can be punished by the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act,” the ministry said Wednesday. “It can also adversely affect the misuse, abuse, and supply and demand of cold medicine."

The enforcement decree of the law stipulated that “people who opened a pharmacy cannot sell medical supplies wholesale.” Violators face a prison term of one year or less or a fine of less than 10 million won. In addition, first-time offenders must suspend their business for three years, second-timers for seven days, and third-timers for one month or more.

“We asked the local public health center to examine the pertinent case and examine measures according to the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act," the ministry said. “We will guide public health centers across the country to eradicate such excessive cold medicine sales.”

The ministry said it would continue to monitor the sale of excessive cold medicine to individual patients and take necessary measures in case of violations.

The ministry added that it is also strengthening cooperation with related organizations, including the Korean Pharmaceutical Association and the Korean Convenience Store Industry Association, to have them actively participate in guiding their members in this direction.