Native English teachers face tougher drug testing

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

National

Tue, September 26, 2023 | 05:19

Native English teachers face tougher drug testing

Posted : 2011-02-07 18:59

Updated : 2011-02-07 18:59

By Park Si-soo

The government has introduced an up-to-date drug testing kit as part of moves to strengthen drug monitoring of foreign English teachers at schools and private institutes.

The Ministry of Justice said Monday that it revised regulations governing drug testing of foreign English teachers, which went into effect from Feb. 1.

Under the new rules, foreign English teachers will also be required to take drug tests at hospitals designated by the immigration office.

The government expects the latest measure will help plug a technical loophole in the previous TBPE test, which detects opiates and other narcotic-type drugs.

It is said that the TBPE test, employed in December 2007, has fallen short of discerning test-savvy drug users.

Drug testing is mandatory for English-speaking foreigners on an E-2 teaching visa to work at public schools and private language institutes.

Those who test positive will face police investigation and, if confirmed, will be deported and banned from landing on Korean soil for at least the next five years, according to immigration officials.

The employment of the new testing kit was the result from repeated calls from narcotic officers and experts who claim that the TBPE test is not capable of detecting the use of all kinds of sought-after drugs either at home or abroad.

“The new kit proved to correctly detect a wider range of drugs, including marijuana,” said Yoo Byung-gil, deputy director of visa and resident division at the Korea Immigration Service.

In fact, TBPE test, based on urine, cannot effectively detect marijuana use, he said.

It also reacts to caffeine and some elements of cold medicine, allowing some test-savvy drug users to capitalize on the shortcomings to avoid being caught, the official said. The new test will be conducted at private and public hospitals proven to be capable of conducting drug tests by the immigration office, starting April 1.

The immigration office will announce the list of licensed hospitals by March after inspecting the facilities of applicants.

“So far, all medical clinics, including ill-prepared ones, have conducted the test, denting the credibility of the test results,” the official said. “But the new system will significantly improve credibility.”

원어민강사 마약 검사 강화

원어민강사에 대한 마약 검사를 강화하는 내용의 출입국관리법 시행규칙 개정안이 1일부터 시행됐다.

법무부에 따르면 개정안은 회화지도 비자(E-2)로 국내에 입국해 체류 중인 외국인이 마약복용이 의심될 경우 두차례 마약 검사를 받도록 규정했다.

마약복용이 의심되는 원어민 강사는 식품의약품안전청이 허가한 마약류 진단 시약으로 1차 면역검사를 받고, 이에 양성반응이 나타날 경우 보다 정밀한 2차 확진 검사도 받아야 한다.

2차 검사에서도 양성반응이 나오면 경찰에 수사를 의뢰하고 마약복용이 확인되면 강제출국을 기본원칙으로 한다고 법무부는 밝혔다.

pss@koreatimes.co.kr