Drugs Drive Violence, Fire, and Daring Drives in South Korea

A 26-year-old man from Daegu was arrested in March 2024 after administering philopon multiple times over two days. During a heated argument fueled by suspicions of his girlfriend’s relationship with another man, he strangled and stabbed her to death. Investigations revealed that the crime was committed impulsively while under the influence of drugs. It was also reported that A had a severe drug addiction and often arrived at work while high.

Drugs do not stop at addiction. The hallucinations and auditory distortions caused by drug use can lead to secondary crimes—such as traffic accidents, sexual violence, robbery, and murder—that are even more dangerous. Experts warn, “Untreated drug addiction can escalate into severe criminal acts, and the societal costs to manage these consequences grow exponentially.”

According to the National Police Agency, over five years from 2020 to 2024, there were 913 cases of secondary crimes committed under the influence of drugs. Traffic-related offenses accounted for the largest share, with 351 cases (38.4%). Theft followed with 135 cases (14.8%), assault with 82 cases (9.0%), and rape with 65 cases (7.1%). There were also 21 cases (2.3%) of murder and attempted murder.

A former prosecutor-turned-lawyer stated, “Drug use often occurs late at night, but users frequently drive to obtain more drugs, already under the influence and unaware of their hallucinations or delusions.” He added, “Teenagers and young adults in their 20s often gather in vehicles, take drugs, and engage in reckless driving while high.”

On the 25th of last month, a woman in her 30s, B, was involved in a serious accident while driving a Porsche on Seoul’s Banpo Bridge. She crashed into a guardrail, veered off the road, and fell into the Han River embankment. Her overturned vehicle collided with four others, injuring both B and another driver. B was found to have taken propofol and ketamine, and syringes and medical tubes containing propofol were discovered in her car.

These repeated incidents have led to stricter penalties for drug-impaired driving. Starting April 2, the revised Road Traffic Act will increase punishments from “up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 10 million Korean won” to “up to five years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million Korean won.” The law focuses on whether the driver can operate a vehicle safely, rather than the type or amount of drug consumed. Overdosing on sleep aids, painkillers, or anesthetics can also result in penalties.

Drug-induced hallucinations have also led to mass casualty crimes, such as arson and random attacks. In April last year, C, a 57-year-old man, set fire to his apartment in Incheon while high on philopon, believing someone was trying to kill him. The fire destroyed his home and forced 15 neighbors to evacuate. In July 2024, a 50-year-old man in Busan, also under the influence of philopon, attacked a neighbor and injured two responding police officers with a weapon.

Drugs are frequently used as tools for sexual crimes. A common method is “date rape,” where drugs like “water GHB” are secretly mixed into drinks to incapacitate victims. Pharmacist D was arrested in 2021 after drugging a woman he met through a dating app and attempting to rape her. He was sentenced to four years in prison for rape and injury. A drug addict interviewed by this newspaper said, “Many women unknowingly encounter drugs in clubs or entertainment venues and become victims of sexual crimes. While some are targeted by strangers, others are betrayed by boyfriends or acquaintances.”

In 2022–2023, a doctor based in Gangnam, Seoul, E, was convicted of raping over 10 women and illegally filming their bodies hundreds of times after administering excessive propofol. He received a 16-year prison sentence and a 5 million Korean won fine. A current prosecutor handling drug cases noted, “Beyond direct sexual assaults, crimes involving the distribution of videos filmed while victims were drugged are common. These are hard to investigate, as victims often remain unaware they were recorded.” Amid these issues, police plan to intensify crackdowns on secondary crimes linked to drug use in the first half of this year.

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