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I found this surprising: >Citizens can be prosecuted for using illicit drugs even if they do so abroad. Is this a serious consideration for Koreans traveling

I found this surprising: >Citizens can be prosecuted for using illicit drugs even if they do so abroad. Is this a serious consideration for Koreans traveling abroad? I am curious how this is being monitored and enforced, seems impossible to actually enforce.

Synaesthesia 3y ago
I know in Korea it’s also illegal to test positive for drugs on a drug test, so not only for possession, as is usually the case. It’s incredibly strict on drug use.
Popeyes 3y ago
I presume if you get caught overseas you get shipped back and the Korean prison system awaits.
barumrho 3y ago
My guess is that it’s aimed at celebrities/politicians.
petre 3y ago
You might get drug tested if you're involved in a car accident, a fight, getting swatted by your neighbours or a sasaeng fan¹, so it's not impossible to enforce. In Korea if you're an actor or celebrity, then your agency and clients could end their contracts with you even based on a mere rumor. The press, people on social media are also incredibly aggressive, especially against women and would harass a celebrity once the rumor gets out. This is why spreading rumors is serious business in Asia. 1. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sasaeng_fan https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sasaeng_fan My guess is Lee has possibly committed suicide after being investigated for drug use, harassed and his life basically ruined.
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
laborcontract 3y ago
It definitely is. It seems impossible to enforce but high-profile Koreans have been nabbed for things like, use of Adderall. I cannot remember her name, but a K-Pop singer got snagged for her use of Adderall in the states. I find that Koreans can be surprisingly snitchy. For instance, garbage snitches. A lot of Koreans seem mortally afraid of accidentally throwing away plastic because neighbors would (and do) look at their trash and will report them to authorities for it. They can receive a hefty fine as a result. A big part of the Lee Sun Kyun "scandal", less reported in the US media, is the fact that he was blackmailed by an escort. Having known very little about this, I thought he committed a mortal sin, but upon reading the allegations.. while they may look bad.. and they are really bad for his family.. they were at the very bottom of the totem pole of vice-seeking behaviors. They're not remotely reason for one to take their life over. Which leads to a broader discussion about Korea.The fact society in Korea makes suicide seem like a better option than the reputational ruination for the violation of what are essentially Christian-conservative values is a shame.
- DizzyDoo 3y ago
  About the trash police - is there anything stopping a neighbour planting plastic in the garbage and then calling the authorities? Or just saying that the plastic isn't theirs, and perhaps the neighbour planted it? It just seems hard to prove either way.
  - laborcontract 3y ago
    Not really. Korea is still a high-trust society with hints of distrust and snitchy-ness. It's really ironic. Most windows of low-rise Korean homes/"villas" have iron bars over them. Most homes have spiked fences. Trash police have many terrified of neighbors. There are cameras (Police cameras + always-on dash cameras) literally everywhere. None of these are hallmarks of high trust. And yet, I could leave a wallet in a mcdonalds and it'd still be there after 8 hours.
  - petre 3y ago
    Yes, video surveillance on your garbage. I'm not joking. CCTVs, dash cams are everywhere in Korea. Even public toilet mounted hidden cameras (by pervs or blackmailers) are a thing.
bitxbitxbitcoin 3y ago
From what I have heard: If you test positive for illicit drugs, they test your entire phone’s contact list, too.
- voakbasda 3y ago
  How has there not been a violent revolution over shit like this?
  - gettodachoppa 3y ago
    Because normal people want and vote this, because it results in a very safe country with much lower street crime figures. People like not having to worry about their kids taking public transport or walking alone.
    - petre 3y ago
      Highschool and workplace bullying is a thing in Korea and Japan. While not having to worry about crime, you get to worry about that instead.
  - hindsightbias 3y ago
    Why oppose what you probably support? https://www.statista.com/statistics/1422765/south-korea-cannabis-legalization-more-addicts/ https://www.statista.com/statistics/1422765/south-korea-cann... Probably similar to American values of Nixon-era war-on-drugs. SK has mandatory military service. I had a coworker whose best service friend was shot while on border patrol. By his own forces. He got lost and wasn’t quick enough with the password when challenged. Coworkers view: “He screwed up.” Different world.
  - janice1999 3y ago
    Being a military dictatorship for such a long time probably helps. Or being a "democracy" where the leader is the daughter of the former military dictator but is secretly controlled by a cult channeling her dead father while conspiring with the largest corporations [0]. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_South_Korean_political_scandal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_South_Korean_political_sc...
deaddodo 3y ago
They probably aren't drug testing every reentrant. But if you come back, commit a crime (car accident, assault, etc) and test positive, you can't say "well, I smoked weed when I was in Amsterdam last week". In the US, CANZUK, etc that's a totally valid defense as those nations don't really have extranational laws on the books outside of tax, underage sex and human trafficking related ones. And even those are difficult to trigger, with the prosecution needing to prove that you traveled to another nation specifically to commit those offenses. The other obvious case would be South Korean nationals (especially celebs/influencers) doing drugs and posting it on social media.

Synaesthesia 3y ago

I know in Korea it’s also illegal to test positive for drugs on a drug test, so not only for possession, as is usually the case. It’s incredibly strict on drug use.

Popeyes 3y ago

I presume if you get caught overseas you get shipped back and the Korean prison system awaits.

barumrho 3y ago

My guess is that it’s aimed at celebrities/politicians.

petre 3y ago

You might get drug tested if you're involved in a car accident, a fight, getting swatted by your neighbours or a sasaeng fan¹, so it's not impossible to enforce. In Korea if you're an actor or celebrity, then your agency and clients could end their contracts with you even based on a mere rumor. The press, people on social media are also incredibly aggressive, especially against women and would harass a celebrity once the rumor gets out. This is why spreading rumors is serious business in Asia. 1. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sasaeng_fan https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sasaeng_fan My guess is Lee has possibly committed suicide after being investigated for drug use, harassed and his life basically ruined.

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

laborcontract 3y ago

It definitely is. It seems impossible to enforce but high-profile Koreans have been nabbed for things like, use of Adderall. I cannot remember her name, but a K-Pop singer got snagged for her use of Adderall in the states. I find that Koreans can be surprisingly snitchy. For instance, garbage snitches. A lot of Koreans seem mortally afraid of accidentally throwing away plastic because neighbors would (and do) look at their trash and will report them to authorities for it. They can receive a hefty fine as a result. A big part of the Lee Sun Kyun "scandal", less reported in the US media, is the fact that he was blackmailed by an escort. Having known very little about this, I thought he committed a mortal sin, but upon reading the allegations.. while they may look bad.. and they are really bad for his family.. they were at the very bottom of the totem pole of vice-seeking behaviors. They're not remotely reason for one to take their life over. Which leads to a broader discussion about Korea.The fact society in Korea makes suicide seem like a better option than the reputational ruination for the violation of what are essentially Christian-conservative values is a shame.

DizzyDoo 3y ago
About the trash police - is there anything stopping a neighbour planting plastic in the garbage and then calling the authorities? Or just saying that the plastic isn't theirs, and perhaps the neighbour planted it? It just seems hard to prove either way.
- laborcontract 3y ago
  Not really. Korea is still a high-trust society with hints of distrust and snitchy-ness. It's really ironic. Most windows of low-rise Korean homes/"villas" have iron bars over them. Most homes have spiked fences. Trash police have many terrified of neighbors. There are cameras (Police cameras + always-on dash cameras) literally everywhere. None of these are hallmarks of high trust. And yet, I could leave a wallet in a mcdonalds and it'd still be there after 8 hours.
- petre 3y ago
  Yes, video surveillance on your garbage. I'm not joking. CCTVs, dash cams are everywhere in Korea. Even public toilet mounted hidden cameras (by pervs or blackmailers) are a thing.

bitxbitxbitcoin 3y ago

From what I have heard: If you test positive for illicit drugs, they test your entire phone’s contact list, too.

voakbasda 3y ago
How has there not been a violent revolution over shit like this?
- gettodachoppa 3y ago
  Because normal people want and vote this, because it results in a very safe country with much lower street crime figures. People like not having to worry about their kids taking public transport or walking alone.
  - petre 3y ago
    Highschool and workplace bullying is a thing in Korea and Japan. While not having to worry about crime, you get to worry about that instead.
- hindsightbias 3y ago
  Why oppose what you probably support? https://www.statista.com/statistics/1422765/south-korea-cannabis-legalization-more-addicts/ https://www.statista.com/statistics/1422765/south-korea-cann... Probably similar to American values of Nixon-era war-on-drugs. SK has mandatory military service. I had a coworker whose best service friend was shot while on border patrol. By his own forces. He got lost and wasn’t quick enough with the password when challenged. Coworkers view: “He screwed up.” Different world.
- janice1999 3y ago
  Being a military dictatorship for such a long time probably helps. Or being a "democracy" where the leader is the daughter of the former military dictator but is secretly controlled by a cult channeling her dead father while conspiring with the largest corporations [0]. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_South_Korean_political_scandal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_South_Korean_political_sc...

deaddodo 3y ago

They probably aren't drug testing every reentrant. But if you come back, commit a crime (car accident, assault, etc) and test positive, you can't say "well, I smoked weed when I was in Amsterdam last week". In the US, CANZUK, etc that's a totally valid defense as those nations don't really have extranational laws on the books outside of tax, underage sex and human trafficking related ones. And even those are difficult to trigger, with the prosecution needing to prove that you traveled to another nation specifically to commit those offenses. The other obvious case would be South Korean nationals (especially celebs/influencers) doing drugs and posting it on social media.