'Smoking pot abroad could be punished'

By Kim Hyun-bin

The government is warning South Koreans to stay away from marijuana when visiting or studying abroad in Canada as it could result in criminal charges when re-entering the country.

The statements come as Canada recently legalized marijuana for recreational use and people over age 18 or 19 depending on the province are allowed to smoke and purchase the substance.

Canadians will be allowed to purchase pot via online or mail and even grow the plant.

However, the legalization only applies to Canadians and other nationalities there. South Koreans who are caught smoking the drug will be punished under their country's law.

Under the current law, marijuana is categorized as a drug along with dangerous narcotics and psychotomimetic agents.

Excluding certain verified medical officials, selling, possessing and transporting marijuana is punishable by law.

When caught in Korea, one can be sentenced to up to five years in prison or fined up to 50 million won ($44,000).

“If someone is caught smoking abroad or brings marijuana into the country, they will be punished the same way as if they were caught in the country,” said Yoon Se-jin, chief of narcotics investigation at the Gyeonggi Southern Provincial Police Agency. “It doesn't matter if the incident occurred in another country that legalized the drug.”

According to data released by the Korea Tourism Organization in May, 293,000 people departed for Canada last year, more than double the number in 2013, which was 144,000.

The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Canada released a statement warning of the legal risks of marijuana as hundreds of thousands of Koreans are expected to visit Canada this year.

“Marijuana might be legal but if a Korean is caught purchasing or transporting the drug he or she will be punished, so people should be cautious to avoid the disadvantages of breaking the law,” the embassy wrote via Twitter last week.

The police are planning to hold a briefing session for overseas Koreans and students of the legalities.

“We plan to cooperate with overseas Koreans and students to hold a briefing session after selecting the right time and place,” the police said. “We plan to conduct briefings in Uruguay, which also legalized the drug.”

Korean criminal law applies to citizens around the world, even in places where the activities are legal, including smoking marijuana as well as gambling.