The government will begin drug inspections of mail in Seoul and parts of Gyeonggi. In the first half of next year, it plans to expand the inspections to major cities nationwide.
Yoon Chang-ryeol, Minister of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, on the 29th presided over the Narcotics Countermeasures Council and discussed a pan-government response to block narcotics at the customs clearance and distribution stages. Fifteen agencies attended the meeting, including the Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, the Korean National Police Agency, the Korea Customs Service, the Korea Coast Guard, and the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety.
To strengthen the detection of high-risk mail and its linkage to investigations, the government decided to advance the cooperation system between the Korea Customs Service and Korea Post. Based on this, starting today it will launch a pilot program to inspect mail circulated in most of Seoul and parts of Gyeonggi for narcotics. In the first half of next year, it plans to transition to a full program, secure the necessary budget and personnel, and expand the inspections to mail circulated in major cities nationwide.
The government said that during a pan-government special crackdown on narcotics from Oct. 1 to Nov. 30, a total of 3,996 people were apprehended, of whom 478 were arrested, and 103 kilograms of narcotics were seized. Compared with the same period a year earlier (3,792 apprehended, 248 kilograms seized), the number of people apprehended increased by 204, while the amount seized decreased, indicating a decline in large-scale supply and distribution of narcotics.
During the special crackdown, about 10,000 online posts distributing drugs on the dark web and Telegram were blocked, and 1,010 online drug offenders were arrested. In addition, targeted crackdowns focused on major nightlife districts, tourist spots, and university areas led to the seizure of 24.3 kilograms of narcotics.
The Ministry of Justice will more than double the number of participants in rehabilitation programs for drug users from 138 in 2025 to 280 in 2028, and will expand the addiction rehabilitation housing system, which provides linked management from admission to post-release reintegration, by the second half of 2026. In addition, it will make orders to attend treatment and rehabilitation programs mandatory for those with suspended sentences, and will continue to expand completion of tailored treatment and rehabilitation programs for those with deferred indictments.
Yoon said, "We will mobilize the full capacity of the government to continuously strengthen crackdowns on vulnerable channels such as customs clearance and mail," adding, "Along with crackdowns, we will strengthen links to treatment and rehabilitation to eradicate the entire process of drug crimes."