Gov't Allocates 13.4 Billion Won for Drug Addict Treatment, Pilot Project Set for Next Year

The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced that it has allocated 13.4 billion won in the government's budget proposal for 2027 to link drug addicts to treatment and recovery, and to expand treatment infrastructure.

Drug addiction is a treatable brain disease that can be overcome with early treatment and consistent management.

Conversely, failure to receive treatment can increase the risk of relapse and reoffending.

There has been ongoing criticism that the system for linking drug offenders to treatment has been inadequate, and that specialized treatment facilities are scarce due to low compensation relative to the high difficulty of treatment.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Health and Welfare has allocated 13.4 billion won in next year's government budget proposal, a 38% increase compared to this year.

Based on this budget, the ministry plans to refer drug offenders at each stage of the judicial process to specialized medical institutions so they can receive timely treatment.

Additionally, the ministry plans to launch a pilot project starting next year to strengthen the connection between addiction treatment for drug offenders and community-based recovery support.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.