South Korea sees surge in ADHD medication prescriptions

Prescriptions for methylphenidate, an ADHD medication often mislabeled as a ‘study drug’ to boost concentration, have surged in South Korea. Data from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and the Korea Institute of Drug Safety and Risk Management shows that 58.05 million tablets were prescribed in the first half of this year, a 12.1 percent increase from the previous year and a 37.8 percent increase compared to the first half of 2024.

Usage is particularly high among those aged 19 and under, who accounted for approximately half of all prescriptions with 28.81 million tablets. Within this demographic, males received significantly more prescriptions (20.9 million) than females (7.91 million).

Health authorities have warned that methylphenidate is a controlled substance and not a supplement for academic performance. Misuse by individuals without ADHD can lead to side effects such as headaches, insomnia, hallucinations, and delusional thinking. The government has also launched public awareness campaigns and conducted inspections, recently identifying 1,733 illegal online posts related to the sale or brokering of the drug.