How Korea's war on drugs destroys lives
Huh Jae-hyun, second from right, participates in a press conference held by the Korean Addiction Recovery Alliance (KARA) in front of Government Complex Gwacheon in Gyeonggi Province, where the Ministry of Justice is located, on June 26, 2023, the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. The banner reads, “Drugs Should Be Eliminated, People Should Be Rehabilitated.” Courtesy of KARA
The crackdown on drugs in Korea has been immense in recent years, with frequent reports of arrests involving both ordinary citizens and celebrities. This effort has been further underscored by widespread anti-drug campaigns displayed prominently across public transportation. The focus is almost always on drug users being represented as criminals and not on what causes them to turn to drugs, or how to rehabilitate them.
In December 2023, the suicide of a suspected drug user, actor Lee Sun-kyun, who starred in Bong Joon-ho's Oscar-winning 2019 film "Parasite," sparked a new type of crackdown, not on drugs themselves but on the practice of media coverage outing high-profile potential drug users and spreading accusations that result in public scrutiny. Bong formed an organization with 29 culture and arts groups, pushing for an investigation into the events that led to Lee’s death, including the police’s handling of the case, how the media covered the accusation and a call for law revisions for the human rights of artists.
Journalist Huh Jae-hyun, two-time recipient of the Amnesty Korea Media Award (2010 and 2015), has also experienced a similar form of ostracism. In 2018, he faced dismissal from his career at a Korean newspaper and criminal charges related to drug use. Despite successfully overcoming addiction, he continues to carry the heavy stigma of being labeled a “drug-using journalist,” which has deeply affected both his personal and professional life.
In 2019, Yoon Hyun-joon, a professor at the Graduate School of Public Policy at Sogang University, founded and led the Korean Addiction Recovery Alliance (KARA) with Lee Dong-wook, aiming to transform Korea’s approach to drug addiction, and Huh also joined. The organization has its roots in a 2017 solo protest by Cho Yoon-hwi, who was in recovery at the time. KARA focuses on activities that support sustainable lives and social reintegration.
On June 26, the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, KARA will host the second annual forum on the issue. Huh said the goals of the event are to raise awareness that people with drug addiction are not terrible or antisocial individuals, to bring about institutional change so that people with lived experience of addiction can participate in shaping drug policy and to establish this kind of regular forum within Korean society, similar to successful international models, to promote constructive and humane drug policy reform.
The Korea Times interviewed Huh to learn about his personal experience on this matter, social challenges and his campaign for governmental and social change.
Q. How and why did you start KARA?
I reached out to human rights organizations in Korea for help, only to realize that there wasn’t a single group in the country that supported people who use drugs. Despite the many NGOs in Korean society, the absence of even one organization offering assistance to drug users was a huge shock. Around that time, Yoon Hyun-joon contacted me. She expressed concern, saying, “Cases like yours are happening because South Korea’s drug policy is solely focused on eradication and shows no concern for recovery.” She then proposed we start an organization together.
After that, I made a decision: I want to become a journalist who informs society about the systems needed to protect rights, and support the recovery of people with drug addiction. What I experienced shouldn’t just remain a personal misfortune, it should become a public resource to help other people struggling with addiction in our society.
Q. What kinds of institutional support do you think are currently lacking in Korea for drug users and those with lived experience?
In Korea, drug addiction policies have traditionally been developed under government leadership, which has resulted in the exclusion of people with lived experience of addiction from the process. Those struggling with addiction have been treated solely as subjects of regulation and punishment.
It’s time to change that framework. Drug policy should be created through collaboration between the government and civil society. Above all, the voices of people with lived experience of addiction must be reflected in the policymaking process.
Korea does have various institutions and some government support aimed at helping people with addiction. Most of the funding and services are concentrated on alcohol and gambling addiction. There is very little government funding or support specifically for people struggling with drug addiction. KARA is advocating to the Ministry of Justice and the National Assembly for the creation of a dedicated budget for drug addiction treatment.
Drug addiction may stem from personal mistakes, but it is also an issue that society as a whole must address. While drug use can be seen as an individual’s wrongdoing, it is, to a large extent, a social illness. People with addiction are members of our society and citizens who fulfil their obligations, including paying taxes. When they are able to recover and reintegrate into society, it contributes to the overall health of our community.
People may die because of drugs in other countries, but in Korea, people die because they are condemned for having used drugs. Drug use should be eradicated, and drugs must be eliminated. But people should not be cast out. People must be helped to live healthy lives again within our society.
However, no such education is provided in schools or public institutions. The focus is solely on emphasizing the dangers of drugs, and there are no educational programs or campaigns promoting support for recovery. This is a serious problem.
Q. How has your own journey been since your dismissal?
I personally often live with the thought that I want to die quickly because I feel there is no future. Without a future, people have no reason to live. Yet in our society, even a single instance of drug use results in permanent exclusion. People are branded as if they should never succeed for the rest of their lives. However, in many other countries, I understand that people who work hard for recovery receive more support from those around them, and there is a culture that encourages their reintegration into society.
Robert Downey Jr., an actor who struggled with severe drug addiction, quit drugs, returned to Hollywood, starred in "Iron Man" and became a world-renowned actor again. I want to be “Korea’s Iron Man.” Having hope for such a future is what makes life worth living. But in Korea, I often feel there is no such future, which is why I frequently think about wanting to die quickly.
The late actor Lee Sun-kyun’s tragic choice likely came from despair, believing there was no future no matter how hard he tried. He did not die because of drug addiction, but because of fear of social stigma and exclusion. I don’t have the courage to die like Lee did, but I often envy his choice. The fact that many people envy those who choose to end their own lives is a clear sign that society is unhealthy.
I am a well-known journalist in Korea. I share my misfortune publicly to help prevent more people from becoming unhappy. That is why I do not hide my struggles but continue to speak openly about them. If someone quits drugs, their life should become happy. It is not acceptable for unhappiness to continue after quitting drugs.
Nilesh Kumar is a film curator from England who operates at the crossroads of curation, events and film. His career has been defined by a commitment to cross-disciplinary collaboration, working with a diverse array of cultural and creative entities including Cinema Galeries, Louis Quatorze, Obra Architects, Soho House Mumbai and Kimchi and Chips.