As seen by the sharp rise in drug-related crimes and the number of prescriptions for fentanyl, fentanyl misuse has become a major concern in Korea. 1.49 million prescriptions for fentanyl were written in 2018, a 67% increase from the previous year, according to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. This increase in prescriptions raises the possibility that the drug will become more widely available and easily accessible.

The severity of the situation is further highlighted by the drug offense data. When compared to the same period last year, there was a notable 32.4% increase in the number of drug offenders in January and February of 2018. Interestingly, a sizable fraction of these drug offenders were in their teens and 20s, suggesting a worrying trend of drug use among young people.

www.eastoregonian.com/news/state/with-fentanyl-driving-overdose-deaths-oregon-officials-want-more-access-to-naloxone/article_2108fb77-a8ce-5839-ae5b-91df48b8670b.html

The Korean government has pledged to stop the proliferation of hallucinogenic drugs, with a special emphasis on fentanyl, in light of the seriousness of the situation. This dedication is demonstrated by the creation of a policy plan that explicitly targets fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid that has a lethal amount of 3 milligrams. 

Korean Governmental Officials are well aware of and have evaluated the dangers of fentanyl coming into the nation. These conversations have focused on boosting funding to fight drug-related offenses and giving those who are addicted the help they need, with the government helping to promote rehabilitation.

Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon has stressed the commitment to ending drug-related crimes and has placed a high priority on working with other nations on this goal. The purpose of this partnership is to exchange best practices, intelligence, and knowledge to successfully address drug-related concerns.

박채연 강남포스트 학생기자  webmaster@ignnews.kr

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