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PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHUL #1744/01 3070602
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 030602Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY SEOUL
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6112

UNCLAS SEOUL 001744 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/K AND INL (JOHN LYLE) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SNAR KN KS
SUBJECT: 2009-2010 ROK AND DPRK INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS 
CONTROL STRATEGY REPORT (INCSR) 
 
REF: STATE 97309 
 
¶1. (U) Per reftel, Embassy Seoul's submission for the 
Republic of Korea (ROK) portion of the 2009-2010 
International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR) is 
provided in para 2.  Input for the Democratic People's 
Republic of Korea (DPRK) portion of the INCSR is provided in 
para 3 with the understanding that information on the DPRK's 
narcotics-related activities is very limited. 
 
¶2. (U) 2009-2010 INCSR input for the ROK: 
 
¶I. Summary 
 
Narcotics production or abuse is not a major problem in the 
Republic of Korea (ROK). Reports continue to 
indicate, however, that an undetermined quantity of narcotics 
is 
smuggled through South Korea en route to the United States 
and other countries. South Korea has become a transshipment 
location for drug traffickers, anomalously, due to the 
country's reputation for not having a drug abuse problem. 
This, combined with the fact that the South Korean port of 
Busan is one of the region's largest ports, makes South 
Korea an attractive location for illegal shipments coming 
from countries that are more likely to attract a 
contraband inspection upon arrival. Several large-scale 
diversions of dual-use precursor chemicals destined for 
Afghanistan were traced back to South Korea. The ROK is a 
party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention. 
 
II. Status of Country 
 
Drugs available in the ROK include methamphetamine, heroin, 
cocaine, marijuana, and club drugs such as LSD and Ecstasy. 
Methamphetamine continues to be the most widely abused 
drug, while marijuana remains popular as well.  Heroin and 
cocaine are only sporadically seen in the ROK.  Club drugs 
such as Ecstasy and LSD continue to be popular among 
college students, and recent enforcement activities have 
caused some drug abusers to shift from methamphetamine to 
psychotropic substances.  To discourage individuals from 
producing methamphetamine, the South Korean government 
controls the purchase of over-the-counter medicines 
containing ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, requiring 
customer registration for quantities greater than 720 mg (a 
three-day standard dose). At present, drug addiction 
appears limited to a relatively small-to-moderate portion 
of the Korean population, and a growing non-ethnic Korean 
population. 
 
III. Country Actions Against Drugs 2009 
 
Policy Initiatives. In 2009, the Korean Food and Drug 
Administration (KFDA) continued to implement stronger 
precursor chemical controls under amended legislation 
approved in 2005.  The KFDA continued its efforts to 
educate companies and train its regulatory investigators on 
the enhanced regulations and procedures for administering 
the precursor chemical program.  In addition to existing 
regulatory oversight procedures to track and address 
diversion of narcotics and psychotropic substances from 
medical facilities, the ROK in 2008 strengthened the 
Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Family Affairs' (MHWA) 
role in the treatment, protection, and study of drug 
addicts.  MHWA now has three national rehabilitation 
treatment hospitals and 20 local district rehabilitation 
hospitals.  In addition, the Korean Food and Drug 
Administration (KFDA) funds the Korean Association Against 
Drug Abuse (KAADA), a non-governmental organization 
dedicated to reducing drug-related risks and educating 
Koreans on the risks of drug abuse.  In 2008, the ROK added 
benzylpiperazine to the list of narcotics and gamma 
butyrolactone (GBL) to the list of narcotic raw materials. 
 
Law Enforcement Efforts.  In the first six months of 2009, 
South Korean authorities arrested 3,806 individuals for 
narcotic violations, with most offenses being for 
methamphetamine and marijuana use.  ROK authorities seized 
9.1 kg of methamphetamine in the first half of 2009, an 
increase over the 7.1 kg seized in the first half of 2008. 
Ecstasy seizure figures were not available at the time of 
writing.  South Korean authorities seized 17.7 kg of 
marijuana, which is an increase from the 14.5 kg seized 
during the first half of 2008. South Koreans generally do 
not use heroin; in the first half of 2009, 356 grams of 
heroin were seized, but the shipment was most likely in 
transit to another destination. Cocaine is used only 
sporadically, with no indication of its use increasing. 
 
Corruption. There have been no reports of corruption 
 
involving narcotics law enforcement in the ROK thus far in 
¶2009. As a matter of government policy, the ROK does not 
encourage or facilitate illicit production or distribution 
of narcotic or psychotropic or other controlled substances, 
or the laundering of proceeds from illegal drug 
transactions. 
 
Agreements and Treaties. South Korea has extradition 
treaties with 23 countries and mutual legal assistance 
treaties in force with 18 countries, including the United 
States.  South Korea is a party to the 1988 UN Drug 
Convention, the 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic 
Substances, and the 1961 UN Single Convention, as amended 
by its 1972 Protocol.  In 2008, South Korea became a party 
to the UN Convention against Corruption; it has signed, but 
has not yet ratified, the UN Convention on Transnational 
Organized Crime and its three protocols.  Korean authorities 
exchange information with international counternarcotics 
agencies such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and 
Crime (UNODC) and the International Criminal Police 
Organization (INTERPOL), and have placed Korean National 
Police and/or Korea Customs Service attaches in Thailand, 
Japan, Hong Kong, China, and the United States. 
 
Cultivation/Production. Legal marijuana and hemp growth is 
licensed by local Health Departments. The hemp is used to 
produce fiber for traditional hand-made ceremonial funeral 
clothing. Every year, each District Prosecutor's Office, in 
conjunction with local governments, conducts surveillance 
into suspected illicit marijuana growing areas during 
planting or harvesting time periods to limit possible 
illicit diversion. In the first half of 2009, authorities 
seized 1,200 plants, a slight increase from 1,050 plants 
seized in the first half of 2008. Authorities have cracked 
down on several indoor home-growing marijuana cases in the 
past few months, most of which involved seeds purchased 
from the Netherlands through the internet and grown inside 
apartments. 
 
Opium poppy production is illegal in South Korea, although 
poppy continues to be grown in Kyonggi Province where 
farmers have traditionally used the harvested plants as a 
folk medicine to treat sick pigs and cows. Opium is not 
normally processed from these plants for human consumption. 
Korean authorities continue surveillance of opium 
poppy-growing areas. In the first half of 2009, 3,646 poppy 
plants were seized. 
 
No methamphetamine laboratories were discovered in the ROK 
in the first six months of 2009. As a matter of reference, 
in 2007, there were only two clandestine laboratories 
discovered. 
 
Drug Flow/Transit.  Few narcotic drugs originate in South 
Korea. The export of narcotic substances is illegal 
under South Korean law and none are known to be exported. 
The ROK does export various precursor chemicals, however, 
including 
 acetic anhydride, acetone, toluene, sulfuric 
acid and others.  Transshipment through South Korea's ports 
remains a serious problem.  ROK authorities recognize South 
Korea's vulnerability as a transshipment nexus and have 
undertaken greater efforts to educate shipping companies of 
the risk.  ROK authorities' ability to directly intercept 
the suspected transshipment of narcotics and precursor 
chemicals has been limited by the fact that the vast 
majority of transiting shipping containers are never 
off-loaded 
and therefore do not pass through customs inspection. 
Nonetheless, 
the ROK continued its international cooperation efforts to 
monitor and 
investigate transshipment cases. Redoubled efforts by the 
Korea Customs Service (KCS) have resulted in increased 
seizures of methamphetamine and marijuana by arriving 
passengers and through postal services at South Korea's 
ports of entry.  Most methamphetamine smuggled into South 
Korea comes from China.  A majority of the LSD and Ecstasy 
used in South Korea has been identified as coming from 
North America or Europe.  People living in metropolitan 
areas are known to use marijuana originating in South 
Africa and Nigeria, whereas those living in rural areas 
appear to obtain their marijuana from locally produced 
crops.  ROK authorities also report increased instances of 
marijuana use among the foreign population in South Korea 
in recent years, a trend that is most likely the result of 
increased law enforcement efforts targeting this segment of 
the population. 
 
Domestic programs/Demand Reduction. The Ministry of Health 
and Welfare Affairs conducts programs to treat drug addicts 
 
at 24 hospitals nationwide.  The treatment is free and 
patients can remain in the program for up to one year.  The 
primary NGO involved with drug treatment is the Korean 
Association Against Drug Abuse (KAADA), which is funded by 
both the government and private donations and has twelve 
branches throughout the country.  Serving approximately 300 
patients annually, KAADA provides education on the risks 
and dangers of drugs, as well as counseling, sports therapy 
and Narcotics Anonymous programs.  Convicted drug users and 
traffickers may have their indictment/sentencing delayed or 
suspended in return for spending up to six months at one of 
the centers.  KAADA also runs television and radio ad 
campaigns to stop the spread of drug abuse among Korean 
youth.  Beginning in 2009, the national curriculum for 
elementary to high school students has been expanded to 
include courses on health, of which one segment is devoted 
to anti-drug education.  KAADA provides former addicts and 
experts to speak to students about the dangers of drug use. 
Among the biggest challenges to reducing drug use, 
according to KAADA, is the ease of buying drugs online, 
particularly those disguised as diet pills, which lure even 
unsuspecting consumers into beginning the cycle of drug 
addiction. 
 
IV. U.S. Policy Initiatives and Programs 
 
Policy Initiatives and Programs.  The U.S. Embassy's Drug 
Enforcement Administration (DEA) Seoul Country Office and 
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials 
work closely with ROK narcotics law enforcement 
authorities.  Both the DEA and ICE consider their working 
relationships to be excellent. 
 
Bilateral Cooperation.  The DEA Seoul Country Office has 
focused its efforts on international drug interdiction, 
seizures of funds and assets related to illicit narcotics 
trafficking (in collaboration with ICE), and the diversion 
of precursor chemicals in South Korea and in the Far East 
region.  In addition to meeting with high-level officials 
from multiple agencies on a regular basis, the DEA Seoul 
Country Office collaborates with the ROK in international 
fora.  For example, DEA played an important role in the 
success of the Anti-drug Liaison Officials' Meeting for 
International Cooperation (ADLOMICO), held in Busan in 
September 2009, which was attended by 175 representatives 
from 22 countries, the United Nations Office on Drugs and 
Crime(UNODC), ASEAN and INTERPOL.  The objectives of the 
meeting were to promote international cooperation in the 
fight against drugs/precursors trafficking, and to exchange 
information on drug trends, trafficking routes, new tools 
and techniques to tackle global illicit drug problems.  The 
DEA Seoul Country Office continues to share intelligence 
regarding the importation of precursor chemicals into South 
Korea from the United States and other Asian countries with 
the KFDA, KCS, the Korean Supreme Prosecutors' Office 
(KSPO), and the Korean National Intelligence Service 
(KNIS). DEA also works closely with the KSPO and KCS in 
their activities to monitor airport and drug transshipment 
methods and trends, including the use of international mail 
by drug traffickers.  The USCG works with the Korean Coast 
Guard, mainly through the multilateral North Pacific Coast 
Guard Forum. Activities through this forum focus on the 
interdiction of maritime threats, including the smuggling 
of illegal drugs, in the North Pacific region. 
 
The Road Ahead. ROK authorities have expressed concern that 
the popularity of South Korea as a transshipment nexus may 
lead to a greater volume of drugs entering Korean markets. 
Korean authorities fear increased accessibility and lower 
prices could stimulate domestic drug use in the future. 
South Korean authorities also indicate a growing concern 
about the importation of narcotics, psychotropic drugs, and 
illegal medicines purchased via the internet, predominately 
from web sites maintained in the United States. In 
response, Korean authorities established a Memorandum of 
Understanding with a number of Korean internet portal sites 
to allow the KNPA to track and intercept such purchases. 
The South Korean government is currently seeking further 
international cooperation to better navigate the legal 
complexities surrounding the prosecution of transnational 
cyber crimes. The DEA Seoul Country Office will continue 
its extensive training, mentoring, and operational 
cooperation with ROK authorities. 
 
Chemical Control. As of 2009, 25 precursor chemicals are 
controlled by Korean authorities. Both the Korean Customs 
Service (KCS) and The Korean Food and Drug Administration 
(KFDA) participate in Projects Cohesion and Prism. In 
addition, the KCS, KFDA and other Korean law enforcement 
agencies, such as the Korean National Police, participate 
in sub-programs of those projects, such as Data and 
 
Intelligence Collection (DICE) and the Information Sharing 
System(ISS). The KFDA closely monitors imports and exports 
of precursor chemicals, particularly acetic anhydride, and 
investigates shipments suspected of being diverted for 
illicit purposes. Permits must be obtained for such 
shipments and records of transactions are maintained for a 
minimum of two years. The KFDA works with governments of 
several Southeast Asian nations to verify documents and 
confirm the existence of importing businesses, and sends 
representatives to the region to investigate. A bill soon 
to be proposed in the National Assembly will require 
 manufacturers and exporters of precursor chemicals to 
register 
with the government, and will also provide education to 
Korean businesses to prevent them from unknowingly 
exporting such chemicals to bogus importers. 
 
The DEA Seoul Country Office and ROK authorities have 
jointly investigated numerous shipments, constituting 
multiple tons of acetic anhydride manufactured and imported 
from the U.S., that have been illegally exported. Other 
precursor chemicals, including acetone, toluene, 
hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid, are produced in large 
quantities within the ROK for in-country use and for 
export. In a recent notable case from September 2009, 
prosecutors arrested a Korean suspect who allegedly 
attempted to smuggle 10 tons of acetic anhydride to 
Afghanistan through Pakistani agents. The acetic anhydride, 
transported under the guise of dyeing agents, was enough to 
manufacture heroin for 10 million people, according to a 
press release published by the Seoul Central District 
Prosecutors' Office. The office said the suspect had become 
involved in a Pakistani gang and had already successfully 
shipped 6.6 tons of acetic anhydride to Afghanistan in 
February. 
 
¶3.  (U) 2009-1010 INCSR input for the DPRK: 
 
According to various ROK open source materials, defectors 
from North Korea have indicated that crystal methamphetamine, 
called bing-doo (meaning "ice poison") in North Korea, is 
manufactured at the Heung-nam Pharmaceutical Company in 
Ham-heung City, North Korea. Heroin, called white bellflower 
or morphine, is manufactured in a factory, formerly named 
Ra-nam Pharmaceutical Company, located near Pyongyang. Based 
on open-source information, there are approximately 500,000 
drug abusers in North Korea. One kilogram of crystal 
methamphetamine is sold at USD 15,000-17,000, while one 
kilogram of heroin is sold at USD 60,000-70,000. 
STEPHENS