Professor Kim Sang-hyo of Gachon University Develops 'Drug Detection Kit' Misused for Sexual Crimes

Sanghyo Kim, Professor, Department of Bio-Nano Technology, Gachon University

Professor Kim Sang-hyo of the Department of Bio-Nano at Gachon University (CEO of Philmedi Co., Ltd.) recently developed a drug detection rapid test kit called ‘GK-CHECK’ that can simultaneously detect GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate) and ketamine.

GHB and ketamine are anesthetic or sedative substances commonly used in drug-related sexual crimes. These colorless, odorless, and tasteless drugs cause the drinker to lose consciousness for 4 to 5 hours when mixed into alcohol or beverages.

These drugs disappear from the body within 4 to 5 hours, making it difficult to prove the crime itself. They are easily purchased through the dark web or Telegram, leading to a rise in crimes involving their use.

The GK-CHECK developed by Professor Kim can detect as little as 2g of GHB or 0.8g of ketamine diluted in 200ml of beverage. The kit is about two-thirds the size of a business card and is sealed in an aluminum pouch for easy portability. It can be opened and used when testing is needed. Using patented technology for simultaneous multi-drug detection, it can identify both GHB and ketamine within 3 minutes.

This kit applies specialized technology that immobilizes and stabilizes various reagents used on-site in strips or spots. Among similar products overseas, it boasts the highest sensitivity and the fastest detection time.

The quality of this kit has been recognized internationally, and it is currently being exported to Italy. The Italian importer, encouraged by strong demand in Italy, plans to expand the market throughout Europe.

Following the launch of this product developed in collaboration with the National Police Agency, Professor Kim is conducting a nationwide public campaign with police agencies and local governments to improve awareness of drug crimes and establish a social safety net to prevent drug-related offenses in Korea.

Professor Kim urged, "As large-scale drug use and distribution crimes have recently been uncovered even on university campuses, Korea is no longer a drug-free country. Therefore, it is essential to make it a habit to use rapid drug detection kits for early prevention whenever drug crimes are suspected."

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