[NATIONAL] Growing number of teens exposed to drug-related crimes

Appropriate education needed to prevent young people’s exposure to drugs
Appropriate education needed to prevent adolescent drug exposure

By Jun Ji-hye

Drug-related crimes have become a major concern in Korea, but what is more concerning is the increasing number of cases involving teenagers.
Drug crime has become a major problem in Korea, but even more serious is the increase in teenage drug users.

According to the police, Friday, a growing number of teenagers have been exposed to the use and trafficking of illegal drugs in recent years, as instant messaging platforms, including Telegram, have become one of the major drug distribution channels.
An increasing number of teenagers have been exposed to drug use and distribution in recent years as real-time messenger platforms, including Telegram, have become one of the main drug distribution channels, according to police on Friday.

Experts have called for improved education to prevent young people from being exposed to drugs, adding that teenagers who use illegal drugs are more likely to become addicted.
Experts urged improved education to prevent drug exposure among teenagers, adding that illicit drugs given to teenagers are more addictive.

Data tallied by the National Police Agency showed that the number of teenage drug offenders increased from 104 in 2018 to 241 in 2020 and 309 in 2021. Last year, 294 teenage drug offenders were apprehended.
According to the National Police Agency, the number of teenagers arrested for drug offenses increased from 104 in 2018 to 241 in 2020 and 309 in 2021. Last year, 294 people were arrested by the police.

According to data provided by the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, the ratio of drug offenders aged between 10 and 20 last year stood at 34.2 percent. The figure has sharply increased from 15.8 percent back in 2017.
According to data from the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office, the percentage of drug offenders between the ages of 10 and 20 last year was 34.2%. This figure has risen steeply from 15.8% in 2017.

What is worse is that the actual number of drug offenses probably goes far beyond the official figures. Investigators admit it is extremely difficult to track all of the drug trafficking that is rampant online.
Even more troubling is that the actual scale of drug crime is likely to be much higher than the official statistics. The investigative agency confessed that it is very difficult to trace all the drug trafficking rampant online.

The latest case involving a 14-year-old middle school student directed more attention to the seriousness of teen exposure to drugs.
The most recent case of drug use by a 14-year-old middle school student drew attention to the seriousness of teenage drug exposure.

On March 6, the police said they were investigating the girl for allegedly using methamphetamine at her house in Seoul’s Dongdaemun District. Her mother contacted the police when she found out that her daughter had fallen down the stairs of their house after using the drug. The student allegedly bought the drug via a Telegram chatroom, according to police.
On the 6th, the police announced that they were investigating the middle school girl for allegedly administering methamphetamine at her home in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul. Her student mother called the police after finding her daughter collapsed on the steps of her home after taking the drug. According to the police, the student purchased the drug through a secret chat on Telegram.

In May last year, the police in Incheon arrested 23 drug carriers for selling methamphetamine, ketamine, ecstasy and other illegal drugs through Telegram. Among the 23, three were 17 years old.
In May of last year, police arrested 23 distributors of methamphetamine, ketamine, ecstasy and other illegal drugs via Telegram in Incheon. Of the 23, 3 were 17 years old.

KEY WORDS
■ concern (particularly shared by many people)[걱정]
■ be exposed to
■ trafficking Illegal trade, trafficking
■ distribution
■ channel path[수단]
■ call for (officially) ask
■ addicted (drugs, etc.)
■ offender offender
■ apprehend to arrest
■ beyond
■ rampant out of control, rampant[횡행]doing

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