1,066 teen drug offenders last year... 3.6-fold increase in one year = South Korea

The number of teen drug offenses has more than tripled in a year. According to a document submitted by the National Police Agency to the office of Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Yoon Gun, the number of teens arrested for drug offenses last year was 1.
The total number of cases was 2,066, 3.6 times higher than the previous year (294). Compared to 94 cases in 2015, the number has increased by approximately 11 times in eight years.
The number of people in their 20s is expected to increase six-fold from 969 in 2015 to 5,689 in 2023.
Last year, teenagers and people in their twenties accounted for about 40% of all drug-related crimes.
Of the 4,866 people arrested for drug offenses by May, 1,961 were in their teens and twenties, accounting for approximately 40%.
The number of people in their 30s is expected to double from 1,793 in 2015 to 3,544 in 2023. The number of people in their 40s is expected to double from 2,272 in 2015 to 2,379 in 2023.
The number of people in their 40s and 50s is expected to increase from 1,230 in 2015 to 1,777 in 2023, a relatively small increase.
The number of people in their 60s is expected to increase from 853 in 2015 to 3,358 in 2023, a roughly four-fold increase, the second largest increase after those in their teens and twenties.
In addition, more than 10 public officials are arrested for drug offenses every year. The number of public officials arrested for drug offenses in 2015 was 10, but it nearly doubled to 19 last year.
Nine people have been arrested so far. The amount of drugs seized has also soared: from 160 kilos in 2015 to 357 kilos in 2023, more than doubling.
In particular, methamphetamine has increased tenfold from 8 kilograms in 2015 to 78 kilograms in 2023. This year, 39 kilograms were seized,
Yoon Gun, a lawmaker, said, "Drugs have taken root in Korean society, regardless of age or gender. In particular, the increase in use among people in their teens and twenties and those over 60 is extraordinary.
"While arrest is important, timely and appropriate treatment is crucial. The government should build a detailed drug response system from arrest to treatment," he said.