Police data cited by lawmakers show that the number of teenagers apprehended for drug-related offenses in the first seven months of 2026 is close to the total figure for all of 2025. Yonhap and the Korea Times report that 370 teenagers are apprehended between January and July, which the Korea Times says equals 78.7% of the 470 teenagers apprehended for drug offenses throughout 2025.
The Korea Times also provides broader context on trends. It says teenage drug offenders were 309 in 2021 and 294 in 2022, then surged to 1,066 in 2023. The number later fell to 442 in 2024 before increasing again to 470 last year. For the total number of drug offenders, the Korea Times reports a rise from 10,626 in 2021 to 17,817 in 2023, dropping to 13,512 in 2024 and 13,353 last year, with 8,426 apprehended in January-July this year. The outlets also note that students form a substantial share of those apprehended, with the Korea Times citing 295 students as of July.
While Yonhap’s excerpt focuses on the near-80% comparison, the Korea Times adds the year-by-year pattern and additional breakdowns. Both attribute the figures to Korean National Police Agency data cited by a ruling-party lawmaker.
