Seoul Drug Management Center Marks First Anniversary... 40,000 Tests and Specialized Treatment

39,382 detailed drug-related tests
149 inpatient treatment cases through October this year
Counseling for adolescents and women, with recovery support workers

The Seoul Drug Management Center, which opened in July 2025, has conducted about 40,000 drug-related tests to date. It has also provided specialized inpatient treatment in more than 150 cases. The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to strengthen its cooperation with related organizations.

On November 11, the Seoul Metropolitan Government held an event marking the center's first anniversary at Seoul Metropolitan Eunpyeong Hospital. About 50 people attended, including Seoul Mayor Oh Sehoon, people affected by drug addiction, their family members, and recovery support workers. They reviewed the center's operational achievements and shared the challenges they had faced during treatment and rehabilitation, as well as their recovery experiences.

Specialized treatment site at the Seoul Drug Management Center. Seoul.

The Seoul Drug Management Center is a public facility that provides integrated counseling, treatment, and rehabilitation services for people with drug addiction, as well as research and education. It was established by expanding the addiction treatment services at Seoul Metropolitan Eunpyeong Hospital, a psychiatric specialty hospital. The center began temporary operations in July 2025 and officially opened on October 31, 2025.

The center provided specialized inpatient treatment in 47 cases from July to December 2025 and 102 cases from January to October 2026. Depending on each patient's condition, the center provides detailed drug testing, noninvasive brain stimulation therapy, and one-on-one case management.

The center has also strengthened its testing capacity by establishing a detailed drug testing system. It conducted a total of 39,382 drug-related tests from July 2025 through October 2026, and expanded the scope of testing to include medical narcotics in March 2026.

The center also operates customized treatment programs that take into account the specific needs of groups such as adolescents and women. For adolescents, it developed its own "Hope-Dream (HOPE-DREAM)" counseling guide, comprising 10 counseling sessions. Based on the guide, the center provides in-depth one-on-one counseling and intensive case management to help adolescents receive necessary counseling and treatment before their drug use problems become severe.

For women with addiction, the center runs a Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) program that takes into account the link between traumatic experiences and drug dependence. To help patients continue their recovery after treatment, it offers outpatient group programs five days a week, providing rehabilitation services to strengthen motivation for recovery, prevent relapse, and support a return to daily life.

Mayor Oh toured the Seoul Drug Management Center's facilities that day and reviewed its operational achievements over the past year before joining a discussion with people affected by addiction, their family members, and recovery support workers. The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to continue strengthening cooperation with the local community and related organizations, and to expand support so that treatment can continue without interruption and lead to sustained recovery and reintegration into society.

Mayor Oh said, "Drug addiction is a disease that can be overcome through professional treatment and social support, not punishment or stigma. The Seoul Metropolitan Government will provide strong support from treatment through rehabilitation and reintegration into society so that residents struggling with addiction do not give up on treatment and can return to healthy daily lives."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.