I’ve been sometimes asked about narcotic crimes from expats in Korea. South Korea is famous for its strict laws on narcotic crimes and there are several different provision on them from that in other countries. Above all, I’d like to point out that it is quite often misunderstood that only using narcotics shall be penalized. As well as use of narcotics, Narcotics Control Act (hereafter referred to as the “Act”) prohibits acts including cultivation of plants used as raw material for narcotic drugs and carrying, trading of it, and carrying, possessing, managing, importing, manufacturing, trading, assisting in trade of, giving or receiving, transporting, using, administering narcotics. Accordingly, based on the Act, the one may be penalized regardless of his or her using narcotic drugs if he or she possesses or carries or trades them. For further inquiries, please feel free to contact me at [email protected].

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