Simpler Than COVID Rapid Kits... Drug Testing Becomes Easier

Joint Research and Development Project by National Police Agency and Professor Jeong Hee-seon
Unveiled at Security Industry Expo... Scheduled for Distribution Next Year

Drug kit exhibited at the booth of the "4th International Security Industry Expo" held on the 19th at Songdo Convensia

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] The National Police Agency has developed a drug test kit capable of instantly detecting major drug components and is expected to distribute it to the market as early as next year, it was reported on the 19th.

Professor Heeseon Jeong of the Department of Forensic Science at Sungkyunkwan University, who is jointly conducting this project with the National Police Agency, revealed this to the press at the "4th World Public Safety Industry Expo" held at Songdo Convensia in Incheon on the same day. The products under discussion for market release come in two types: a "sticker type" that can be attached to bags and mobile phones, and a "strip type" designed in a long paper shape for easy dipping into cups. The sticker-type kit allows users to instantly check for drug components by dabbing a suspicious beverage with a finger and rubbing it on the sticker. The strip-type kit works like litmus paper, where the kit is directly dipped into the liquid in a cup to observe color changes.

Development is also underway for a "field police kit" and a "drug specialist investigator kit." These kits feature significantly improved accuracy compared to the currently used simple drug test kits. The police-developed kit for officers is expected to greatly enhance accuracy by analyzing samples with a portable separate analysis device. While the current simple drug test kits have an accuracy level of about 70-80%, the developing kits aim for nearly 100% accuracy. Additionally, whereas current simple test kits can detect around six types of drugs, the new kits are being developed to detect up to 16 types.