Baek Haeryong, former head of the Criminal Division at Seoul Yeongdeungpo Police Station (Police Superintendent), who raised allegations that the Presidential Office under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration exerted external pressure on the Incheon Customs drug investigation, insisted that the truth must be uncovered through the permanent special prosecutor system.
Baek Haeryong, former head of the Criminal Division at Yeongdeungpo Police Station (Police Superintendent), stood in front of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the 12th to express his position on the launch of the joint investigation team related to suspicions of drug smuggling involving Incheon Customs. Photo by Yonhap News
At a press conference in front of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 12th, Superintendent Baek stated, "It makes no sense for those who should be investigated to become the main investigative body and claim to realize justice," and added, "The prosecution is essentially proposing to investigate itself, which can only be seen as an attempt to downplay and cover up the case and destroy evidence."
When asked by reporters whether he would cooperate if the joint investigation team requested his appearance for questioning or assistance with the investigation, Superintendent Baek replied, "Since the launch of the joint investigation team, neither the Supreme Prosecutors' Office nor the police leadership has said a single word to me," and added, "They are trying to put me in the position of a victim and keep calling me in for investigation, but I have no intention of cooperating."
Previously, on the 10th, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office announced the launch of a joint investigation team involving the prosecution, police, National Tax Service, and the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). The joint investigation team aims to uncover the facts behind suspicions of drug smuggling involving customs officials, as well as allegations of external pressure and cover-up related to the investigation team at Yeongdeungpo Police Station that handled the case. The joint investigation team, led by Yoon Gukkwon, head prosecutor of the Violent Crime Investigation Division at the Busan District Prosecutors' Office, consists of about 20 members, including members of Superintendent Baek's Yeongdeungpo Police Station investigation team that investigated the customs drug case in 2023.
The customs drug smuggling allegations stem from the Yeongdeungpo Police Station securing testimony in January 2023 that customs officials were involved in the smuggling of approximately 74 kilograms of methamphetamine by suspects of Malaysian nationality and launching an investigation. However, it is alleged that the Presidential Office, as well as senior officials from the police and Korea Customs Service, exerted external pressure on the investigation to cover up the case.
In July last year, Superintendent Baek testified at the National Assembly that Cho Byungno, then head of the Public Safety Division at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, requested that references to the involvement of Incheon Customs staff be removed from the press release on the drug investigation results. He also testified that he received instructions from the head of Yeongdeungpo Police Station to postpone the drug investigation briefing, along with the message, "This case is known in Yongsan and is being taken seriously."
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