'Obstruction of Customs Drug Investigation' Criticism... National Police Agency's Criminal Investigation Headquarters Chief Calls It "Personal Insult"

Baek Haeryong Police Chief "Investigation Chief is Woo Jongsu"

Woo Jong-su, head of the National Investigation Headquarters of the National Police Agency, on the 20th, regarding allegations of obstruction in customs drug investigations, stated, "Do not insult a person's character based on one-sided testimony," and asserted, "There was no obstruction of the investigation."

Wi Seong-gon, member of the Democratic Party of Korea. [Photo by Yonhap News]

At the National Assembly Public Administration and Security Committee hearing that day, when Wi Seong-gon, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, pointed out, "Do not obstruct the investigation. Who are you trying to protect?" Woo responded, "The investigation proceeded normally."

Chief Inspector Baek Hae-ryong (former head of the Criminal Division at Yeongdeungpo Police Station) criticized, "The person in charge of the investigation is Chief Woo, who actively intervened to obstruct it. He denied this case and did not evaluate it," adding, "Do not say it is a one-sided claim. Without approval from the National Investigation Headquarters, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency cannot act."

Chief Woo stated, "The National Investigation Headquarters cannot issue all case transfer orders. The current testimony from Chief Inspector Baek is contradictory," to which Baek countered, "The transfer decision was made without the knowledge of the police chief."

The allegations of external pressure in this investigation arose from a case last January when the Yeongdeungpo Police Station in Seoul detected that Malaysian drug syndicate members smuggled methamphetamine into the country through Incheon Airport with the assistance of customs officers allowing them to pass through security checkpoints. Chief Inspector Baek revealed that before a media briefing related to the case, he received external pressure from Commissioner Cho Byung-no (former head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Community Safety Department) to "remove the Customs Service from the press release." Commissioner Cho denies any external pressure.