South Korea will conduct a two-month nationwide crackdown on drug distribution and smuggling from October to November, the government said Wednesday.

The joint operation, involving police, prosecutors, local governments and multiple agencies, will focus on blocking street-level distribution, dismantling trafficking networks and stopping smuggling attempts during peak holiday travel.

Authorities will target both online channels, such as Telegram, and offline routes, including illegal prescriptions from medical institutions.

The move follows a similar operation in April–June that netted three-thousand-733 suspects, 621 arrests and the seizure of two-point-68 tons of narcotics, including 600 kg of cocaine and 45 kg of ketamine.

Officials also plan to strengthen prevention and rehabilitation programs to curb repeat offenses, as part of an updated five-year national drug control strategy.

National Policy Coordination Office chief Yoon Chang-ryeol warned that the rising share of offenders in their 20s and 30s is alarming and called for pan-government efforts to win the war on drugs.