Seoul City Public Health Center’s Anonymous Drug Testing Promotion Poster (Image provided by the Seoul Metropolitan Government)
SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Korea Bizwire) — Seoul residents who fear accidental drug exposure during overseas travel, such as over the Chuseok holiday, can undergo free and anonymous drug testing at local public health centers, the city government said Monday.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government operates the program across all 25 district health centers, offering tests for six major substances — marijuana, methamphetamine, morphine, cocaine, amphetamine, and ecstasy.
The screening is conducted through urine tests using officially approved diagnostic kits, and results are available the same day without requiring any personal identification.
Those who test positive may, upon request, receive a follow-up confirmation test at Eunpyeong Hospital and be connected to professional counseling, treatment, and rehabilitation services. Testing is available to anyone regardless of their district of residence.
Information about operating hours and participating centers can be found on each district health office’s website.
City data show that 2,102 people have used the anonymous testing service since its launch — 134 in 2023, 1,091 in 2024, and 877 between January and September this year. Among them, 33 tested positive.
In a survey of over 2,000 users, many cited concerns over situations such as “feeling disoriented after drinking beverages” (34.3 percent) or “after consuming alcohol” (34.5 percent), suggesting fears of unintentional exposure. Other reported concerns included eating candy or jelly of unknown origin and smoking cigarettes offered by others.
“The medical staff have no obligation to report positive cases to authorities, so residents can take the test without fear,” said Kang Jin-yong, head of Seoul’s Health Policy Division. “We will continue to help individuals recover through professional counseling and treatment support.”
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
