Legal Q&A
Q
Views6,757
Hello. I am a YouTuber who produces travel content. Recently, while filming content abroad, out of curiosity I entered a club, and because they gave me something like a cigarette, I smoked it. As it turned out, I learned that it was cannabis. Will I be punished even if I administered a drug abroad? I would also like to ask how drug punishment is carried out.
drug punishment
drug administration
punishment for drug administration
Answer
Published:
Author : Byung Joon KOH
Hello. You have inquired about drug punishment.
Even without directly using drugs, merely possessing them can result in severe punishment.
Therefore, special caution is needed so that you do not possess or administer drugs.
In particular, abroad, where drugs have been legalized, the risk of being unintentionally exposed to drugs may increase.
Even if you administered a drug in a country abroad where the drug is legal, you may be subject to criminal punishment in Korea, which you must keep in mind.
According to Article 3 of the Criminal Act, it is specified that domestic law applies even if a crime was committed outside the territory of the Republic of Korea.
Simply put, because our country adopts the 'principle of personal jurisdiction,' even if it is legal abroad, if you committed an act that is subject to criminal punishment under domestic law, you may be punished.
In addition, for drug punishment, the level of punishment may vary depending on the type of drug used.
In the case of the cannabis you asked about, not only using it but even merely possessing it results in imprisonment for not more than 5 years or a fine of not more than 50 million won.
Because a drug offense is a crime subject to severe punishment, if you are involved in a drug case, a prompt response is important.
I advise you to request the assistance of a drug attorney to understand the sentencing guidelines and establish a strategy so that you can defend against drug punishment.

Daeryun's own AI·IT-driven litigation strategy
240+ key members
1,200+ cases handled per month
* 2025년 월평균 기준
In compliance with Article 4(1) of the Korean Bar Association Advertising Rules
Every consultation is reviewed by a specialist attorney first,
so consultations are conducted by appointment.
Phone
1800-7905
Available 24/7, 365 days a year


Online Consultation
Legal services
for our clients.

Chat
Get a quick consultation via chat.
Related Members
More
Byung Joon KOH
T. 070-5221-2805
Extensive experience handling large-scale corporate and white-collar crime cases · Attorney specializing in corporate/construction/labor/digital forensics law

Cheol Kim
T. 070-5117-3709
Chief Prosecutor at the Busan District Prosecutors' Office Experience as Chief Prosecutor at the Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office
Key Case Results
MoreRelated Practice Areas
MoreAll fields At a glance
1/0