I am a Drug Addict, a special documentary series recently aired on SBS, featured young adults who were suffering from drug addiction. South Korea was initially regarded as a drug-free country, where drugs were used illegally only among the wealthy as a means of deviation. However, the documentary showed ordinary people in their 20s suffering from drug addiction. The desperate cry for help from those whose lives were completely devastated from drug use was vividly captured on camera. Those victims could be anyone’s sons or daughters; drug addiction is no longer a problem that Korea can look away from.

According to the Korean National Police Agency, the number of drug crimes has been steadily increasing in Korea, especially among those between the ages of 10 and 30. In between March and May, 2,626 people were arrested on drug charges and 614 were detained. This rate shows a staggering 11 percent increase from the previous year. In particular, the current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) situation has accelerated online drug dealing activity. The age groups most affected by the accessibility of the substances were internet-savvy teens and young adults. As the recent statistics for drug-related crimes display, the frequency and form of drug abuse have changed in Korea.

The Nature of Drug Crimes and Their Increase

The nature of drug crimes makes it a prevalent issue in Korean society regardless of the addicts’ age or gender. Drug crimes have higher recidivism rates — the rate at which a criminal repeats the offense — compared to other crimes due to the role of addiction. According to Yonhap News Agency, the recidivism rate for drug crimes is around 36 percent on average. Although it is ideal to prevent initial use, the lack of education renders people unaware of the fatal traits of narcotics. Therefore, preventative measures that restrict previous drug addicts from relapsing into addicts again are crucial. The previously mentioned documentary displays cases in which drug users become dealers since they cannot afford the high costs of purchase. An unsuccessful rehabilitation creates a vicious cycle, exposing more people to drugs. The vicious cycle, adding to the changing nature of drug crimes, is contributing to the enormous increase in drug crimes recently.

A change in the method of drug dealing has come into play in normalizing drugs. According to the Kyunghyang Shinmun, in September, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office arrested five people on charges of violating the Narcotics Control Act using the dark web. An organization was also accused of selling a total of 1,992 grams of cannabis through the dark web. The dark web, a private platform that requires certain programs to enter the guarded domain, has become the perfect platform for drug markets. In addition, transactions of goods using cryptocurrency do not require a process of identity verification and provision of personal information, thus guaranteeing anonymity. As virtual currency ensures privacy with no traces of payment left, it is favored by many drug dealers. Given these points, advancements in information technology (IT) have increased the accessibility of drug purchases, especially in combination with the psychological reassurance of consumers.

COVID-19 also had an impact on the overall mental health of people, causing more people to start abusing drugs. According to the COVID-19 National Mental Health Survey conducted by The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) on May 6, mental health indicators showed that the number of people with depression has gotten twice as worse than before the pandemic. According to American Psychological Association (APA), Doctor Mandy Owens from the University of Washington stated that she has observed an increase in substance abuse both in quantity and frequency since the pandemic. The general anxiety, financial strain, and isolation triggered by the pandemic have caused an increase in drug abuse and the shift in the type of substance caused by the changing accessibility, thus making people start new drugs.

Possible Solutions for Tackling Drug-related Crimes

While drug problems are becoming commonplace in Korea, people with addiction are having a hard time staying clean due to the lack of governmental support. To solve this issue, congressman Lim Ho-sun from the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) proposed a bill called Amendment to the Narcotics Control Act, according to Korea Pharmaceutical Association News. The proposal contains an amendment to apply National Health Insurance to treatment and protection for people with addiction and fund their copayment from MOHW’s treatment protection budget. According to Professor Lee Beom-jin (College of Pharmacy, Ajou University), since drug abuse is a brain disease due to its addictiveness, treatment has to take place along with the crackdowns. However, the current legislation is focused on legal enforcement. Thus, the bill that aims to facilitate treatment and protection of the addicts to decrease recidivism rates and support their rehabilitation is likely to improve the problem suggested by Professor Lee.

Also, more and more criminal actions are being carried out online rather than in person. Especially on the dark web, where people secretly trade child pornography, weapons, and various illegal substances, most of the crimes take place using cryptocurrency such as bitcoins. Professor Lee says this exposes all people in society to drug crimes, making every citizen susceptible to being both the offender and a victim. In other words, drug issues are not limited to a particular group of society anymore. To solve this issue, Professor Lee explains that it is important not to leave drug users isolated from society and constantly assist them in ways such as the provision of employment opportunities for their self-sufficiency.

Korean society is more than ever exposed to various types of drugs particularly under the current pandemic situation. With access to the dark web, even the general public can now easily purchase and consume narcotics. This has raised a serious question about the direction of drug policy in Korea. Even with a proposal for the amendment to legislation and support for rehabilitation facilities, there is much room for improvement in both prevention and rehabilitation. Since drug use is not a problem solely limited to individuals in society, the cooperation of both public and private institutions is imperative.