Testifying At The Parliamentary Audit Is Nam Tae-hyun.

During an audit session in parliament, Nam Tae-hyun testified about the importance of drug rehabilitation policies.
Nam Tae-hyun testified as a witness during a parliamentary audit on October 12 at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul. He addressed concerns about drug treatment programs and procedures. For the time being, Nam Tae-hyun resides in Incheon DARC and receives drug treatment at Incheon Chamsarang Hospital.

During the session, Kang Seon-woo, a member of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, brought up the fact that the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s budget for the next year was frozen despite President Yoon Suk-yeol’s declaration of a “war on drugs” in April 2022. Because of the high recidivism rate associated with drug-related crimes, he stressed the importance of striking a balance between punishment, treatment, and rehabilitation.

Mr. Nam Tae hyun
I had extreme depression and started taking psychiatric drugs,” Nam Tae-hyun recounted of his previous drug use. Because of the rapid changes they effected in my brain, I grew to rely heavily on medications that target the central nervous system. After hitting rock bottom with my sadness, I started using marijuana and then methamphetamine.

He also spoke about the absence of government support for private rehabilitation clinics and the challenges he had while trying to recover from drug addiction. According to Nam Tae-hyun, there has been a dramatic rise in the number of people abusing drugs, and the government’s response has been inadequate. He elaborated on how difficult it is for privately run (and often staffed by volunteers) facilities to meet the needs of drug addicts who require constant monitoring and discipline.

He remarked, “I’ve heard there are around 20,000 drug offenders, and if you include petty crimes related to drugs, it would be much larger.” He was advocating for more government support. Nonetheless, fewer than twenty patients are still here (at my drug recovery center). Every day, calls for assistance are received, but the institution can accommodate none of them. The harshness of our daily lives necessitates urgent intervention from the government.

Nam Tae-hyun also brought out the dangers of the readily available psychotropic medicines. He advocated for more stringent regulation of pharmaceuticals, arguing that doctors should give serious thought before prescribing medication. He also brought up the availability of disposable syringes from pharmacies, which he said should be properly regulated to cut down on drug-related issues.

Taehyun Nam
In his final remarks, Nam Tae-hyun emphasized the value of having a strong social network and the need of focusing on and studying immersion rehabilitation centers. He advocated for increased funding and attention to overseas rehabilitation centers by citing their success stories. He urged anyone who are struggling with addiction to reach out for treatment.