[Inside Chodong] War on Drugs: Change Is Needed to Win

President Yoon Declared a 'War on Drugs' Six Months Ago
Drug Crimes Are Becoming More Sophisticated, Penetrating Everyday Life
Focus Needed on Measures to Prevent Recidivism Among Drug Offenders

President Yoon Suk-yeol declared a 'war on drugs' last October, urging victory with a sense of mission to protect future generations. And recently, just half a year later, an incident occurred in the heart of Gangnam, Seoul, where students were given drug-laced drinks and their parents were threatened using this as bait. President Yoon expressed his "shock" and ordered the eradication of distribution and sales organizations and the thorough tracking and recovery of criminal proceeds. The investigation, which was being conducted at local police stations, was transferred to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s Drug Investigation Unit, and preparations for cooperation at the prosecution level have also begun.

There is a sense of d?j? vu. Only half a year ago, at a Cabinet meeting where President Yoon discussed youth policies, he received a report on the 'youth drug situation' and instructed the establishment of a government-wide drug response plan. Prosecutor General Lee Won-seok and Police Commissioner Yoon Hee-geun both announced strict crackdowns on drugs around that time.

The problem is that the drug issue is worsening. According to statistics from the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, the number of drug offenders last year reached a record high of 18,395, nearly 14% higher than the previous year (16,153). In just January and February of this year, about 2,600 drug offenders were caught, a 32% increase compared to the same period last year (1,964). Drug offenders under the age of 19 surged more than tenfold from 38 in 2012 to 481 last year.

This increase is partly due to intensified crackdowns by the police and prosecution. The police, who declared a "determination equivalent to emergency level Gapho," arrested nearly 6,000 drug offenders through special crackdowns in the second half of last year, and the Ministry of Justice opened the way for the prosecution to directly investigate most drug crimes by revising the enforcement decree of the 'restoration of prosecution’s investigative authority' (Geomsuwonbok). In February, special drug crime investigation teams were also established at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, Incheon District Prosecutors' Office, Busan District Prosecutors' Office, and Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office.

However, given that "drugs have penetrated everyday life," it is clear that strong investigations and crackdowns alone have reached their limits. There are even voices from the field saying that the increasingly sophisticated distribution structure has made so-called "dark and light crimes" immeasurable. It is difficult to expect further progress with the current drug policies focused solely on investigation, crackdowns, and harsh punishment.

There are 21 specialized treatment and protection institutions for drug offenders nationwide, but only two are effectively operating. As of the first half of last year, Incheon Chamsarang Hospital and National Bugok Hospital treated 96% of all patients. Considering that the recidivism rate of drug offenders reached 37% over the past year, it is now necessary to focus on measures to reduce the risk of reoffending.

It is also necessary to review the weakening of drug crime responses due to the previous administration’s implementation of the 'complete removal of prosecution’s investigative authority' (Geomsuwanbak). The political arena must now jointly examine the aspect where the 'war on drugs' for future generations is being used as a tool for factional conflict. Although immediate clarifications were made stating "that was not the intention," the remark by Park Beom-gye, a member of the Democratic Party and former Minister of Justice, at the National Assembly’s Special Committee on Criminal Justice System Reform?"If there are phenomena of direct prosecution investigations under the enforcement decree, those under investigation should report to the Democratic Party"?is enough to spark controversy over whether the prosecution should refrain from investigating drug crimes.

With the drug phishing incident that occurred in broad daylight in the Daechi-dong academy district, we are now in a position to shed the stigma of being a 'drug emerging country.' As the president has called for government-wide cooperation, it is time to acknowledge the shortcomings revealed by policy decisions tailored to the administration’s preferences and work together to repair them. All processes?from crackdowns and investigations to rehabilitation of drug crimes that threaten the lives and safety of the people?are not subjects for political or social negotiation.