Food and drug safety ministry expands drug crime crackdown amid justice system overhaul

The food and drug safety ministry joined 14 other government agencies on Thursday to finalize a comprehensive plan for strengthening narcotics investigations and rehabilitation systems ahead of major changes to the criminal justice framework. Chaired by Prime Minister's Office Chief of Staff Lim Ki-geun, the Narcotics Countermeasures Council discussed measures to ensure no gaps occur in drug crime enforcement after the October 2 launch of the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency and the Public Prosecution Office.

Under the new agreement, the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency will establish dedicated narcotics units, including four investigation divisions under its Seoul regional office and a task force for international smuggling cases. Regional offices in Suwon, Daejeon, Daegu, Busan and Gwangju will install specialized departments to handle local crimes, while the police agency plans to reinforce full-time narcotics personnel by reallocating mobile unit staff.

The Korea Coast Guard announced it would augment its dedicated narcotics department by assigning 23 additional investigators and expanding surprise hull inspections using underwater drones to block sea-based smuggling routes. Customs officials pledged to continue strict controls on mail and bonded areas while enhancing legal review functions.

Beyond enforcement, the council focused on expanding treatment infrastructure for addicts as part of a shift toward recovery-oriented policies. The Justice Ministry plans to increase dedicated rehabilitation correctional facilities from six locations in 2025 to 13 by 2026, doubling the number of addiction rehabilitation wards within prisons. The Ministry of Health and Welfare intends to launch a pilot project in 2027 to strengthen links between offenders and addiction treatment, aiming to expand regional institutions to 13 sites.

The food and drug safety ministry will support these efforts by evaluating addiction levels before indictment to identify candidates for customized care and installing a dedicated hotline within correctional facilities. Officials also noted ongoing legal efforts to broaden the investigative scope of special judicial police officers from manufacturers and pharmacists to include patients violating the Narcotics Control Act.

Lim emphasized that responding to narcotics requires more than just crackdowns, stating that treatment and rehabilitation are equally critical tasks to break the cycle of addiction.

"As a clean narcotics Korea is a key element in advancing toward an irreplaceable Korea, I urge all relevant agencies to push forward their assigned tasks with speed to bring about a nation safe from drugs," Lim said.