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epublic of Korea

ystalline methamphetamine remains the most widely used illicit drug in the Republic of Korea. Si

04, methamphetamine has accounted for about 65-80% of all drug-related arrests (SPO 2012b an

evious years) and more than 95% of admissions to drug treatment (SPO 2011c; ARQ Republic of K

10 and previous years).

ntil the late 1980s, the Republic of Korea was a significant source of methamphetamine and other

mphetamine-type stimulants for illicit drug markets in Asia. Since that time, the clandestine

anufacture of methamphetamine has been rare; the last such manufacture was reported in 2010 w

ur small- scale kitchen-type methamphetamine manufacturing operations were seized (SPO 2011

ost of the methamphetamine found in the Republic of Korea has historically come from China, bu

cent years source countries for methamphetamine have diversified. During the past few years, the

public of Korea has been indicated as a source of ephedrine and pharmaceutical preparations

ntaining pseudoephedrine that have been trafficked to other countries in the Asia and the Pacific

NODC 2011b). The country has also been increasingly targeted by transnational drug trafficking

ganizations as both a destination and a transit country for drugs in recent years, thus raising the

ncern that domestic drug use may rise in the next few years.

nnabis is the second most commonly used drug in the Republic of Korea. Synthetic cannabinoids

WH-018 and its analogues), first detected in the country in 2008 (SPDO 2012), are still not widely

the Republic of Korea but have been identified as an emerging threat. In July 2009, the Governm

aced synthetic cannabinoids under national control (KCS 2012). Heroin and cocaine are not indic

commonly used in the country as reflected by drug seizure and arrest data (SPO 2012a).

able 1. Trend in use of selected drugs in the Republic of Korea, 2007-2011

izures of crystalline methamphetamine nearly doubled in 2011 to 23.5 kg, the highest total report

nce 2008. The amount of methamphetamine pills and ecstasy seized in the country remains limite


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PO 2012a).

small but increasing quantity of new psychoactive substances, including various synthetic cathino

d piperazines, have been seized in the Republic of Korea in 2012 and 2011.

able 2. Seizures of selected drugs in Korea, 2007-2011

e illicit manufacture of methamphetamine is rare in Republic of Korea. In 2011, the largest portio

ethamphetamine seized in the country originated from China (5.8 kg), followed by Mali (4.2 kg), S

rica (3.6 kg), Canada (3.2 kg) and the Philippines (2.1 kg) (SPDO 2012). In addition, Cambodia, G

alaysia, Mexico and Taiwan Province of China have also been identified as sources for

ethamphetamine smuggled into Republic of Korea during the past few years (SPDO 2012; SPO 20

RQ 2010; INCB 2010).

eferences

RQ 2010 Republic of Korea. Annual Report Questionnaire for 2009, Republic of Korea 2010.

CB 2010. Report of the International Narcotics Control Board for 2009, International Narcotics

ntrol Board (INCB), Vienna, February 2010.

CS 2012. Drug Smuggling Trend in Korea Korea Customs Service, presented at the Twenty-secon


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ug Liaison Officials Meeting for International Cooperation (ADLOMICO), Busan, Republic of Ko

-14 September 2012.

DO 2012. Drug Trends in Korea and International Cooperation, Suwon District Prosecutors Off

PDO), presented at the Twenty-second Anti-Drug Liaison Officials Meeting for International

operation (ADLOMICO), Busan, Republic of Korea, 12- 14 September 2012.

O 2012a. Drug Control in Korea 2012, Supreme Prosecutors Office, Narcotics Division, Narcotic

ganized Crimes Department, Seoul, 2012.

O 2012b. Recent Drug Trend in Republic of Korea (C/Y 2011), Supreme Prosecutors Office, (SP

arcotics Division, presented at the Seventeenth Asia- Pacific Operational Drug Enforcement Confe

DEC), Tokyo, 14-16 February 2012.

O 2012c. Current status of synthetic cannabinoids analysis in SPO, KOREA, Supreme Prosecuto

fice, Drug Analysis Unit, presented at the Twenty-second Anti-Drug Liaison Officials Meeting for

ternational Cooperation (ADLOMICO), Busan, Republic of Korea, 12-14 September 2012.

O 2011a. Drug Control in Korea 2011, Supreme Prosecutors Office (SPO), Narcotics Division,

arcotics and Organized Crimes Department, Seoul, 2011.

O 2011b. Drug Trend in the Republic of Korea in 2010, Supreme Prosecutors Office (SPO), Narcvision, presented at the Sixteenth Asia-Pacific Operational Drug Enforcement Conference (ADEC

kyo, 22-24 February 2011.

O 2011c. Official communication with the Supreme Prosecutors Office, August 2011.

NODC 2011b. Patterns and Trends of Amphetamine-Type Stimulants and Other Drugs, Asia and t

cific United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Vienna, November 2011.

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