By Lee Kyung-min
The number of teenagers and young adults apprehended for drug possession soared by almost 30 percent last year, police said Monday.
According to the National Police Agency (NPA), the number of offenders found to be trading, administering or possessing illegal drugs jumped to 5,699 as of the end of last year, up 4.4 percent from a year earlier.
Among them, 916 were teenagers and those in their 20s - up 27.8 percent from 717 in 2013, police said.
Of the teens and those in their 20s, 130 were students and 458 were office workers.
Methamphetamine and marijuana were the most common substances found.
Online trading and increased access to the substances overseas largely contributed to the surge in the number of young offenders, the NPA said.
“Smoking marijuana is legal in some states in the U.S. Young adults there are known to smoke ‘pot.’ Many students who studied abroad have the experience of smoking, resulting in attempts to smuggle or trade online in the substances,” an NPA official said.
The NPA plans to toughen regulation on online monitoring in response to the surge in number of the young offenders.
It plans to seek cooperation from the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and the Korea Customs Service (KCS).
Possession of illegal drugs is a crime punishable by a fine of up to 50 million won or a prison term of up to five years. Selling or purchasing drugs is subject to fines of up to 100 million won or a prison term of up to 10 years.