Number of drug addicts receiving treatment in Korea rises by almost 49% between 2020 and 2024
Published: 08 Mar. 2026, 12:03
![Investigators display confiscated items, including dried marijuana and marijuana cultivation equipment, at the briefing room of the Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office in Suwon, Gyeonggi, on Feb. 12. [NEWS1]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/03/08/39bb4aaf-276d-4015-a7ef-16843eb5da50.jpg)
Investigators display confiscated items, including dried marijuana and marijuana cultivation equipment, at the briefing room of the Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office in Suwon, Gyeonggi, on Feb. 12. [NEWS1]
The number of drug addicts receiving treatment in Korea surged 48.7 percent from 2020 to 2024, driven by a sharp increase among people in their 20s and 30s, data showed on Sunday.
The number of patients who received treatment stood at 828 in 2024, up from 557 in 2020, according to the data compiled by the state-run Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA).
By age group, patients aged 20 to 29 jumped 139.1 percent over the period to 275 in 2024, and those aged 30 to 39 rose 89 percent to 223, HIRA said.
Male patients accounted for 606 cases in 2024, compared to 266 female patients, though the rate of increase over the period was faster among women.
Meanwhile, the total cost of treatment doubled to about 1 billion won ($67,000) during the cited period, HIRA noted.
Yonhap
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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