Drug-related offenses in South Korea have surpassed 20,000 cases for the third consecutive year, with 23,003 incidents recorded in the past year. This figure represents a slight increase of 1.7% from the previous year’s 23,022 cases. The number first crossed the 20,000 threshold in 2023, reaching 27,611 cases, and has remained above this mark since. Compared to 16,153 cases in 2021, the total number of drug offenses has surged by 44.9% in just four years.
Record Highs in Drug Smuggling and Manufacturing
The past year saw unprecedented levels in both drug smuggling and manufacturing offenses. Smuggling cases dramatically increased by 57.4% to 1,772, up from 1,126 the year before. Manufacturing offenses also rose by 31.6%, with 25 cases reported compared to 19 in the prior year. While the overall number of offenses involving the supply chain decreased by 12.4% to 6,777, this was primarily due to a reduction in domestic distribution. Conversely, international smuggling and domestic manufacturing both saw significant upticks.
International smuggling accounted for a substantial portion of the illicit drug supply, with 755.7 kilograms of drugs detected through confirmed import routes, making up 65.4% of all seized drugs. Large quantities of narcotics were imported from countries including Thailand, the United States, Canada, Germany, and Vietnam. Prosecutors attributed the rise in online smuggling to the ease of access via the internet and an increase in foreign nationals residing in South Korea who have prior exposure to drugs.
Youthful Offenders and Shifting Demographics
The trend of younger individuals engaging in drug offenses continued, with those under 30 accounting for 14,573 cases, or 62.3% of the total. Notably, offenders in their 30s constituted 29.9% of all cases, surpassing those in their 20s (29.5%) for the first time. Previously, individuals in their 20s had been the largest demographic group from 2021 to 2024. The number of teenage offenders also saw a 3.9% increase, reaching 674 cases.
Prosecutors highlighted that the increasing accessibility of drugs through non-face-to-face transactions via the dark web and platforms like Telegram has made it easier for younger, tech-savvy generations to obtain illicit substances. This shift in accessibility is a key factor in the changing demographics of drug offenders.
Dominance of Psychotropic Substances and Rising Ketamine Seizures
Psychotropic drugs, including Philopon (methamphetamine), MDMA, and ketamine, constituted the vast majority of drug offenses, with 19,212 cases, representing 82.1% of the total. Cases involving marijuana accounted for 2,459 incidents, or 10.5% of all offenses.
The number of foreign nationals involved in drug offenses also reached a record high, with 3,298 cases, a 2.0% increase from the previous year. While the total weight of seized drugs slightly decreased by 1.4% to 1,156.4 kilograms, the quantities of key narcotics saw an increase. Psychotropic substances made up 80.9% of the total seized weight. Philopon seizures increased by 25.2% to 376.6 kilograms, and MDMA seizures rose by 30.6% to 44 kilograms. Ketamine seizures also showed a significant upward trend, increasing from 42.6 kilograms in 2023 to 88.9 kilograms in 2024, and further to 140.6 kilograms last year.
Future Enforcement Strategies
In response to these trends, the prosecution service announced plans to strengthen international cooperation and enhance real-time monitoring of online distribution channels. This includes tracking overseas smuggling organizations directly at their locations and intensifying surveillance of online distribution networks to combat the growing challenges posed by digital drug markets and international trafficking.
