"One in Three North Korean Defector Inmates Faces Drug Charges... Prevention Measures Needed"

Assemblywoman Han Jeongae of the Democratic Party

In the past five years, one out of every three North Korean defectors detained in correctional facilities has been involved in drug-related offenses each year.

According to Han Jeongae, a member of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, this was the result of an analysis of data submitted by the Ministry of Justice, as announced on September 18.

According to Assemblywoman Han, the annual figures are as follows: 56 people (33.1%) in 2020, 55 people (30.6%) in 2021, 53 people (31.9%) in 2022, 44 people (31.0%) in 2023, and 57 people (35.8%) in 2024. Notably, in the first half of this year alone, 60 people have already been detained on drug charges. Han's office analyzed that, at this rate, the number is expected to reach an all-time high.

The proportion of drug-related crimes is overwhelming compared to other types of offenses. While major crimes such as fraud, embezzlement, murder, and rape remain at around 10 to 20 cases annually, drug offenses account for the highest proportion of crimes committed by North Korean defectors.

Experts analyze that North Korean defectors are structurally vulnerable to drug crimes due to the environment in North Korea where drugs have been used like common medicine, as well as psychological and economic vulnerabilities experienced during the resettlement process in South Korea.

In fact, according to a 2016 report by the Database Center for North Korean Human Rights' North Korea Drug Surveillance Organization, the rate of drug use experience among North Koreans surged from 7.0% in the 2000s to 26.8% in 2013, and reached as high as 66.7% in 2016. This shows that drug use spread rapidly throughout North Korean society.

However, measures such as drug prevention education for North Korean defectors remain insufficient. According to the Ministry of Unification, out of the 400 hours of regular education at Hanawon this year, only 10 hours (2.5%) were dedicated to drug prevention-related education: 3 hours of intensive education, 4 hours of law-abiding education, and 3 hours of legal damage relief case studies. In addition, during the initial intensive education (8 days, 50 hours) and regional adaptation support process conducted after completing Hanawon, there were no drug prevention or addiction response programs beyond general settlement support such as legal assistance and counseling.

Assemblywoman Han stated, "Because the recidivism rate is high once someone is exposed to drugs, it is more urgent than ever to provide systematic prevention education and rehabilitation programs from the initial stage, beyond just crackdowns and punishment." She added, "The Ministry of Unification must establish effective prevention and treatment measures and strengthen its responsibility and role so that North Korean defectors can become healthy members of our society."