Gyeonggi Province Holds Narcotics Addiction Response Council Meeting on the 11th

Gyeonggi Province held the first meeting of its Narcotics Addiction Response Council.

On March 11, Gyeonggi Province hosted the "2026 1st Gyeonggi Province Narcotics Addiction Response Council" meeting at the provincial government building, with the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education, the prosecution, the police, probation offices, and addiction treatment and protection institutions in attendance.

Previously, on March 4, Gyeonggi Province established the institutional foundation for operating the council by enacting and promulgating the "Ordinance on the Establishment and Operation of the Gyeonggi Province Narcotics Addiction Response Council."

This council meeting, the first since the ordinance was enacted, is significant because it marks the transition of the province's narcotics addiction response cooperation system from a series of one-off discussions to a sustainable, collaborative structure that has been ongoing since last year.

During the meeting, participants shared the council's implementation status from the previous year, reviewed the achievements of the province's narcotics policy, and discussed each institution's tasks for 2026.

Gyeonggi Province held a Drug Addiction Response Council meeting on the 11th. Photo by Gyeonggi Province

In 2024, Gyeonggi Province became the first region in South Korea to open a public addiction treatment center within the Gyeonggi Provincial Psychiatric Hospital, and has since consistently improved access to addiction treatment. As a result, last year saw a fivefold increase in both outpatient and inpatient treatment cases compared to the previous year.

Additionally, the province secured a budget of 580 million won for the project supporting treatment and protection costs for narcotics addicts—an increase of 240 million won over the previous year—creating an environment where addicts can focus on treatment and reintegrate into society without financial burden.

Currently, there are six narcotics addiction treatment and protection institutions operating within the province.

Yoo Youngcheol, Director General of Health and Wellness at Gyeonggi Province, stated, "With the ordinance providing the institutional foundation for the narcotics addiction response council, we will further strengthen close cooperation among related organizations with the council at the center. We will expand preventive outreach, increase treatment support, and continuously develop a Gyeonggi-style narcotics addiction response system that takes responsibility for community rehabilitation."

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