"Undergo Preliminary Review"
Detective Baek Haeryong, who exposed the 'investigation interference' by senior police officials regarding the suspicion of drug smuggling involving Incheon Airport customs officers, has filed an objection with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, claiming that the warning disposition issued against him is unjust.
According to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on the 31st, the agency's Office of Inspection, Audit, and Human Rights received Detective Baek's objection to the warning disposition on the same day. The reasons for the warning against Detective Baek include violations of public relations regulations and sending a request letter to exclude a prosecutor from duties.
Detective Baek holds the position that these reasons are unacceptable. According to Article 12 of the Police Public Relations Regulations, the person responsible for public relations must report in advance to the head of the investigation department of a higher agency regarding the content of public relations when announcing investigation cases. Detective Baek reportedly claims that in this case, since a press release had already been issued, he had 'reported in advance.' The public relations after the briefing were intended to prevent misinformation.
On the 17th, while investigating the suspicion of drug smuggling involving Incheon Airport customs officers, Detective Baek was transferred from the Criminal Division 2 of Yeongdeungpo Police Station in Seoul to the Hwagok Precinct Chief of Gangseo Police Station. The day after starting his new post at the precinct, he received a warning disposition from Cho, the candidate for the Seoul Police Commissioner. Following allegations of investigation interference by senior police officials, controversy arose that this was a 'retaliatory personnel action.'
Candidate Cho denied the retaliatory nature of the warning disposition against Detective Baek during the Police Commissioner candidate confirmation hearing on the 29th. Cho explained at the National Assembly, "The Seoul Police Agency classified this as a case under focused investigation command, but Detective Baek violated the public relations regulations multiple times without reporting."
The suspicion of drug smuggling involving Incheon Airport customs officers began when Yeongdeungpo Police Station arrested 16 individuals for organizing a criminal group and violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes by secretly bringing in and distributing 74 kg of methamphetamine manufactured in Malaysia at the end of January last year, and sent 13 of them to the prosecution.
Detective Baek had secured statements that customs officers were involved in the smuggling and was continuing the investigation. However, allegations arose that Cho Byungno, then the head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Public Safety Department, called Detective Baek and requested that customs-related content not be mentioned in media briefings, sparking controversy over investigation interference.
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