What is the most used drug in Korea? Demystifying Medication and Illicit Substance Trends
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4 min read
In South Korea, nearly 1.72 million people with chronic conditions were taking 10 or more types of medication in June 2025, highlighting the complexity of answering, 'What is the most used drug in Korea?'. This high rate of polypharmacy is driven by a combination of a robust universal healthcare system, an aging population, and an increase in chronic disease prevalence. Therefore, the 'most used drug' cannot be pinpointed to a single substance but depends on whether one is referring to prescription, over-the-counter, or illicit drug categories.
