Korean Lawmaker Reports Decrease in Medical Narcotics Misuse Cases After Legislative Reform

The Korean National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee member Rep. Jeon Jin-suk (Democratic Party) highlighted that recent legislative reforms targeting the management of medical narcotics prescriptions are yielding tangible results on the ground. In the 2024 national audit, she pointed out weaknesses in the existing system, noting that some patients were obtaining repeated narcotic prescriptions by visiting multiple healthcare facilities. Following amendments to the relevant law, data show that the number of medical professionals who received information for violating narcotics misuse control criteria decreased in most drug categories in 2026 compared with 2025. Rep. Jeon attributed this decline to the strengthened regulatory framework introduced after the 2024 Food and Drug Safety Ministry audit. The findings suggest that the new measures are effective in curbing the over‑prescription and potential abuse of controlled substances within the Korean healthcare system.