"Even If I Want to Live, There's Nothing I Can Do"... Why the Drug Recidivism Rate Exceeds 50% [News Inside ⑤]

Escaping Drug Addiction
Even After Treatment,
Lack of Support for Reentering Society
Shortage of Specialized Treatment Infrastructure
MFDS, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health and Welfare, etc.
Introducing Judicial-Treatment-Rehabilitation Linkage

"If I have to live like this, wouldn't it be better to just do drugs and die young?"

With no one to contact, a broken body, and no place to work... A man in his twenties who had completed drug treatment returned to the hospital and confessed. He had resolved to break free from addiction and live a normal life, but in reality, there was nothing he could do.

Drugs have quietly seeped into Korean society and are spreading like an epidemic. Drug addiction is being confirmed across all classes and ages, from ordinary students and housewives to office workers. The recidivism rate for drug offenses is as high as 51.9%. While enforcement is important, experts point out that rescuing these individuals from the lure of drugs and helping them reintegrate into society has become just as crucial.

Nevertheless, the social infrastructure for treating and rehabilitating those addicted to drugs is extremely weak. There is a severe shortage of hospital beds, and the same goes for specialized personnel. Even if patients receive treatment, there is virtually no system in place to help them reintegrate into society after discharge. Experts say that unless this problem is resolved, it will be impossible to break the vicious cycle of the 'drug hell'.

Falling Again at the Threshold of Rehabilitation

For those who have used drugs, the greatest fear is not withdrawal symptoms. Instead, they face an even greater barrier when they try to return to daily life. Kim Jaesung, director of Incheon Chamsarang Hospital, said, "Even patients who are determined to recover find themselves with no one to contact, unable to find employment, and left in a daily life that remains unchanged after leaving the hospital. There is no way for them not to relapse into addiction," he explained. This is because most patients are left only with connections to those they used drugs with in the past.

A man in his twenties who received treatment at this hospital had previously run a coin reading room with his seniors from school and started using drugs. He was caught by the police, punished, and completed treatment at the hospital. He vowed to quit drugs and live properly, but outside the hospital, only his 'old friends' were waiting for him. He was exposed to the risk of reoffending.

The high recidivism rate for drug offenses is not solely due to a lack of personal willpower. Lee Seungho, former head of the Drug Crimes Division at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office (now a lawyer at Bae, Kim & Lee LLC), said, "Even if patients receive treatment, if basic recovery environments such as social networks, livelihood, and housing are not provided, a vicious cycle forms in which they have no choice but to return to addiction. In order to reduce recidivism, treatment and rehabilitation are much more effective than punishment." Director Kim also said, "For those whose daily lives have long since collapsed, even entrusting them with simple tasks can be a form of rehabilitation, so we must help them blend into our society."

Kim Jaesung, director of Incheon Chamsarang Hospital, is being interviewed by Asia Economy. Photo by Yoon Dongjoo

A Shortage of Treatment Infrastructure, Hospital Beds, and Specialists

Even so, there are only a handful of hospitals nationwide that can provide specialized care for drug addicts. Director Kim said, "Hospitals capable of admitting and intensively treating drug addicts include Incheon Chamsarang Hospital, National Bugok Hospital, and Daegu Daedong Hospital. Our hospital alone has about 40 to 50 inpatients related to drug cases, but there are only two specialists." There is a lack of hospitals and a shortage of specialized medical staff.

For patients with severe addiction, inpatient treatment is required rather than outpatient care. According to Director Kim, this involves forcibly breaking the drug habit. He said, "Just as alcoholics experience hand tremors and cold sweats when they stop drinking, drug addicts also go through a period of withdrawal symptoms, which is generally considered to last at least 100 days. Drug patients require a long treatment process and close management, and because it is difficult for them to reintegrate into society, long-term hospitalization is necessary." As a result, there is a constant influx of new patients seeking treatment, but it is not easy to get a spot.

Even the existing treatment infrastructure is concentrated in the Seoul metropolitan area. Attorney Lee said, "Since hospitals are concentrated in Seoul and the surrounding region, those in the provinces must give up their entire lives and move to receive treatment. This regional imbalance can actually lead to the further spread of drug problems." The medical system is also unprepared for drug issues. Doctors have almost no opportunity to encounter drug addicts during their training. Director Kim said, "Even psychiatrists end up facing patients with drug addiction without any prior knowledge or experience."

Lee Seungho, a lawyer at Bae, Kim & Lee LLC, is being interviewed by Asia Economy at the Jongno office in Seoul. Photo by Jo Yongjun

Treatment Is a Responsibility of Society

Experts view drug addiction as a 'social disease.' Director Kim said, "If COVID-19 spread through human contact, drugs are transmitted when someone says, 'Aren't things tough these days? This will make things easier for you.' In the end, the entire society can be put at risk, so we must invest public funds in rehabilitation and treatment." Attorney Lee also said, "If criminal punishment brands someone with a criminal record, they may give up on themselves and find it even harder to return to society. The real purpose of the justice system should be to help drug offenders return as healthy citizens."

Although there are institutions in Korea responsible for drug treatment, rehabilitation, and aftercare, information sharing and collaboration among them are not systematized. Attorney Lee said, "Currently, the prosecution, police, hospitals, and private communities all operate independently, making patient-centered treatment difficult. Now we need an organization with a control tower and a comprehensive system." He added, "We need a 'one-stop system' that encompasses both investigation and treatment, like the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) in Thailand. The most realistic solution is to create a separate national agency for drugs, with both treatment and prevention functions under one roof."

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health and Welfare, and Supreme Prosecutors' Office piloted a 'judicial-treatment-rehabilitation linkage model' last year. For simple drug users who show a willingness to receive treatment, customized treatment and rehabilitation are provided as a condition for suspension of indictment.