"If Minors Are Deceived and Given Drugs, Death Penalty Imposed"… National Assembly Amendment Bill Proposed

Yu Gyeongjun Proposes Amendment to Narcotics Control Act on 7th
Strengthening Penalties to Death, Life Imprisonment, or 10 Years Imprisonment

A revision bill has been proposed to impose the maximum legal penalty, including the death penalty, for drug-related crimes targeting minors recently occurring in the academy districts of Gangnam, Seoul.

On the 2nd and 3rd of last month, a shocking crime took place in the academy district of Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu, where students were made to drink drug-laced beverages under the pretext of a focus-enhancing drink tasting event. The perpetrators then obtained parents' contact information under the guise of a purchase intention survey, informed them of their children's drug consumption, and threatened them.

In response, Yoo Kyung-jun, a member of the People Power Party representing Seoul Gangnam-byeong, announced on the 7th that he had proposed the "Narcotics Control Act Amendment Bill" to allow the death penalty, the highest legal punishment, for administering drugs to minors.

According to the current Narcotics Control Act, administering drugs to minors is punishable by imprisonment of five years or more, and causing minors to consume marijuana is punishable by imprisonment of two years or more. The death penalty or life imprisonment applies only in cases involving profit motives or habitual manufacturing, trafficking, or import/export of drugs.

National Assembly Building stock photo / Photo by Mun Honam munonam@

However, the proposed amendment stipulates that administering drugs against the will of a minor shall be punishable by death, life imprisonment, or imprisonment of ten years or more, and causing minors to consume marijuana shall be punishable by imprisonment of three years or more.

Furthermore, even if the victim is not a minor, administering heroin or non-medical psychotropic drugs against a person's will shall be punishable by imprisonment of three years or more, strengthening the penalties.

The bill also specifies that administering drugs or non-medical psychotropic drugs shall be subject to aggravated punishment of up to half of the statutory penalty.

Representative Yoo stated, "Drugs, which were secretly traded through entertainment establishments, have become rampant even in residential and academy districts, tarnishing South Korea's reputation as a drug-free country. To prevent secondary harm such as extortion using drugs, as seen in the recent academy district drug terror, strict punishment must be enforced."

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