Fourteen of the 22 new employees hired by the Korea Drug Abuse Prevention Agency last July have left their positions, according to reports.
The agency, which is responsible for counseling and rehabilitation of drug addicts, was designated as a public institution by the government in 2024. The number of local addiction rehabilitation centers was expanded from three to 17. However, concerns have been raised about the inability to retain staff in the field.
On October 12, Rep. Heo Jong-sik of the Democratic Party, a member of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee, revealed that early turnover among new hires is at a critical level based on data received from the agency.
The agency hired 22 employees last July, assigning 17 of them to rehabilitation and counseling departments at local centers, including the Together Step Center and the 1342 Courage Step Center. The Together Step Center identifies and supports individuals with substance use disorders in the community, while the 1342 Courage Step Center provides counseling and prevention services for those struggling with drug-related issues.
However, 64% of these new hires, or 14 employees, left before completing eight months of service. Last year, a total of 49 employees, including contract workers, resigned, with 35 of them leaving before their first year.
The departments with the highest turnover were those directly responsible for counseling and reintegration of drug addicts. Among the 49 resignations last year, 29 were from the rehabilitation department, and of the 27 who left between January and August this year, 15 were also from that department.
Rep. Heo Jong-sik emphasized the need for the agency and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to conduct a thorough investigation into the reasons for the high turnover and to implement effective measures for improving compensation, work systems, and psychological support based on the findings.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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