South Korea Threatens to Arrest Its Own Citizens Who Smoke Weed in Canada

The South Korean government has issued multiple statements reminding its citizens that the laws made in Seoul apply to them everywhere, so nationals who decide to smoke weed in Canada–the second country in the world to legalize pot–could face jail time.

The police warnings were primarily aimed at the 23,000 South Korean students who currently study in Canada.

“Weed smokers will be punished according to the Korean law, even if they did so in countries where smoking marijuana is legal”, said Yoon Se-jin, a top narcotics officer. “There won’t be an exception”.

Since South Korean law technically applies to its citizens anywhere in the world, then they could very well face the full brunt of the country’s strict marijuana laws on their return home, which runs the risk of a sentence of up to five years in prison.

Although South Korea’s drug laws are quite draconian, experts in the East Asian country claim that most of those targeted will be citizens who attempt to traffic marijuana into the country.

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