Under the revised law, a court handing down a suspended sentence to an addict can simultaneously order the individual into a drug rehab program. The order would take effect immediately, with treatment lasting as long as a year.

Currently, the government has no means of imposing rehab for drug addicts but instead tries to encourage addicts to seek treatment on their own.

"Drug addicts who have been ordered by a court to undergo treatment will get free care either in a hospital or as an outpatient," a Ministry of Health official said. The ministry warned that addicts who violate the rehab order may be warned or taken into custody by their parole officer. For severe violations the suspension of the prison sentence could be revoked.

The revision also adds a number of drugs to the list of narcotics including Amineptin, Salvia Divinorum, Salvinorin A, quazepam and Ketamine. In order to block illegal outflow of drugs, the revision establishes a protocol for those handling them that includes making reports when they dispose of expired or contaminated drugs.

(Kim Yeong-jin, hellojin@chosun.com )