[Reporter’s Notebook] Drug Rehabilitation Centers Are Disappearing

At a private drug addiction rehabilitation center in Gyeonggi-do, a sharp reprimand was issued to residents who were chatting. One resident brought up the topic of drugs, which is prohibited by the center's regulations. The person who made the mistake was a man in his early 20s. Startled by the scolding, he opened his eyes wide and seemed at a loss. The center director's reprimand, which lasted several minutes in the middle of the living room, was so severe it made one's spine tingle. This was witnessed by a reporter covering drug rehabilitation.

Worried that the reprimand might break his will to rehabilitate, I offered some comfort, to which he replied, "I'm actually grateful. The scolding means I was able to get in here in the first place."

Society's interest in eradicating drugs is intense. However, the situation of drug addicts who need to regain a normal life through rehabilitation is bleak. There are only two government-affiliated addiction rehabilitation centers nationwide and just three private drug addiction rehabilitation centers.

Each center has dozens of people on waiting lists but cannot accept them due to capacity limits. Even receiving inpatient treatment, which precedes rehabilitation, is as difficult as catching a star in the sky. According to data received by National Assembly member Choi Yeon-sook from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, last year the government designated 21 hospitals as addiction treatment protection institutions, with 421 inpatients. Among them, Incheon Chamsarang Hospital (276 patients) and Gyeongnam National Bugok Hospital (134 patients) accounted for 97.3% of all patients. The remaining 19 hospitals are largely ineffective.

There are no hospitals in Seoul capable of inpatient treatment for drug addicts. Seoul Municipal Eunpyeong Hospital, a drug treatment protection institution, does not accept inpatients due to a shortage of specialists. Gangnam Eulji Hospital, which was a dedicated drug treatment hospital, also stopped inpatient care due to cost issues. The National Mental Health Center in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, under the Ministry of Health and Welfare, is also reportedly not accepting inpatients currently.

Rehabilitation of drug addicts is directly linked to eradicating drug-related crimes. According to the 'Drug Crime White Paper' released last year by the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, 4 out of 10 drug offenders relapse into drug use. Simple users who undergo judicial processing and are thrown back into society without rehabilitation encounter more diverse drugs and sometimes even become drug dealers.

The foundation of rehabilitation is admission to an institution where life is controlled. Both addicts and experts agree that quitting drugs is nearly impossible with only willpower and education without control. If drug users with the will to quit have nowhere to receive treatment and rehabilitation, the spread of drug crimes cannot be prevented. The government must strengthen drug crackdowns and work to secure treatment and rehabilitation institutions for addicts.

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