Drugs Penetrating Daily Life... Secondary Crimes Like Murder and Rape Also Increasing

"Types of Drugs, Sales Amounts, and Transaction Methods Detailed in Chat Rooms"
Average of 217 Secondary Crimes Annually Since 2018

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jung-wan] Amid the recent increase in drug-related crimes in South Korea, cases of secondary crimes such as murder and rape committed after drug use are also rising every year, calling for urgent countermeasures.

According to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office and the Korea Institute of Criminology and Justice on the 17th, the domestic drug crime index last year was 31, nearly double compared to 18 in 2012. The drug crime index refers to the number of drug offenders per 100,000 people. When the drug crime index exceeds 20, it indicates an acceleration in the spread of drugs, effectively meaning a state of uncontrollable drug proliferation.

Drug crimes among teenagers and people in their 20s have also surged, indicating that drugs are infiltrating general society rather than just specific groups. According to data provided by the National Police Agency to Lee Su-jin, a member of the National Assembly's Planning and Finance Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, the number of drug offenders arrested over the past five years reached 50,000. Teen drug offenders increased threefold from 104 in 2018 to 309 last year, while offenders in their 20s rose approximately 2.5 times from 1,392 to 3,507 during the same period.

Rep. Lee Su-jin pointed out, "Drug trading chat rooms explicitly list drug types, prices, and transaction methods, and many posts certify purchases along with substances presumed to be drugs," adding, "Anyone who wants to buy drugs could do so immediately."

Cases of secondary crimes committed after drug use continue to be reported annually. According to data submitted by the National Police Agency to Lee Man-hee, the senior member of the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee from the People Power Party, the average annual number of secondary crimes such as murder and rape following drug use from 2018 to 2021 was 217. Specifically, there were 221 cases in 2018, 236 in 2019, 182 in 2020, and 230 in 2021. The most frequent crimes were traffic offenses (216 cases), followed by assault (87 cases), rape (81 cases), and murder (9 cases).

Rep. Lee Man-hee emphasized, "Drugs not only harm the user but also their acquaintances, family, and society at large, and have a high potential to lead to secondary and tertiary crimes, making them crimes that must be eradicated," adding, "To dispel public anxiety, relevant authorities such as the police must urgently establish an inter-ministerial cooperation system to systematically manage drug crimes and implement effective countermeasures."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.