A drug-sniffing dog checks parcels at an Army unit on July. 13, 2023. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, July 17 (Korea Bizwire) — Drug detection dogs deployed at South Korea’s major airports and seaports will join efforts to crack down on drug use within the military.
The Army Military Police on Thursday conducted a random drug inspection by deploying the Korea Customs Service’s drug detection dogs to two barracks in the greater Seoul area and one in South Chungcheong Province.
Together with the military police from each barracks, Bruce, a Labrador Retriever, patrolled delivery warehouses in search of drugs.
This marks the first time drug detection dogs have been assigned to patrol military barracks.
Last month, the Army signed an agreement with the Korea Customs Service to deploy drug detection dogs.
The military police plan to carry out a series of random drug inspections across all military units.
The special investigation unit under the Supreme Prosecutors Office for drug crimes reported that 18 drug offenders were apprehended in the military between January and April this year, surpassing last year’s total by more than half.
The military also decided to incorporate drug tests into physical examinations. Drug offenders caught within the barracks will face arrest and investigation.
The act of suggesting or delivering drugs to other service members will be met with stronger punishment. Education on drug crime prevention will be included in the essential military curriculum.
“Currently, the Korea Customs Service is exclusively responsible for deploying drug detection dogs for inspections,” said Brig. Gen. Park Heon-su, the head of the Army’s Military Police.
“In the future, we plan to collaborate with the police, as well as the U.S. Army Military Police Corps, to deploy drug detection dogs.”
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
