Prescriptions for benzodiazepine drugs, reportedly used in the "Gangbuk motel serial killings" case, have increased for the fourth straight year. Benzodiazepines are psychotropic medicines used to ease insomnia and anxiety disorders. They carry risks of dependence and tolerance, requiring caution.
According to data submitted by Seo Mihwa of the Democratic Party of Korea, a member of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee, from the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service, prescriptions for 13 benzodiazepine drugs—including alprazolam, lorazepam, diazepam, and etizolam—totaled 863.35 million in 2025.
Prescriptions for benzodiazepine drugs steadily rose from 809.88 million in 2021 to 827.08 million in 2022, 850.34 million in 2023, and 856 million in 2024. That is an increase of about 7% over four years.
By drug, alprazolam accounted for the most prescriptions at 346.63 million. It was followed by lorazepam (166.56 million), diazepam (97.35 million), etizolam (74.12 million), and flunitrazepam (56.84 million).
There are calls to strengthen oversight as benzodiazepines have recently been misused in crimes. In the Gangbuk motel serial killings case, defendant A was indicted and detained on charges including murder and violating the Narcotics Control Act for allegedly handing drinks containing benzodiazepines to three men in their 20s, causing them to lose consciousness or die, from mid-December last year through on Feb. 9.
According to the National Forensic Service, alprazolam and flunitrazepam, along with zolpidem, were also among the substances most frequently detected in drugged drivers over the three years since 2023. Seo said, "As prescriptions for benzodiazepines are increasing, incidents have occurred where they were misused for crimes, beyond simple misuse and abuse," adding, "Thorough oversight is urgent."