Emphasizing the Investigation into Alleged External Pressure on Customs Drug Probe
Determined to Accelerate Uncovering Allegations from the Yoon Administration
To Chief Prosecutor Im Eunjung: "Conduct a Thorough and Independent Investigation Without
On October 12, one day before officially returning from his vacation, President Lee Jaemyung issued an unusually detailed directive regarding the 'alleged external pressure on customs drug investigations.' He ordered the dispatch of Inspector Baek Haeryong, the initial whistleblower, to the joint investigation team of prosecutors and police at the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office. He also instructed Im Eunjung, the chief prosecutor responsible for the investigation, to add more prosecutors to the team if necessary and to thoroughly uncover the truth. By urging, "Conduct a strict and independent investigation without sanctuary, regardless of rank or position," he reinforced the independence of the investigation.
President Lee also addressed the upcoming National Assembly audit, instructing, "All ministries must cooperate actively with both ruling and opposition parties. Any valid criticism should be corrected immediately, and any failure to do so will be met with strict accountability." Through this, he indirectly expressed his intention to correct distorted practices inherited from the previous administration.
The core of the allegation is that senior officials from the Presidential Office, the police, and the Korea Customs Service exerted external pressure to block a police investigation into a customs official's involvement in methamphetamine smuggling. Inspector Baek, who was head of the drug investigation team at Yeongdeungpo Police Station in Seoul in 2023, discovered evidence implicating an Incheon Customs official during a drug smuggling investigation. When he tried to expand the investigation, Baek claims that senior officials from the Presidential Office, police, and Korea Customs Service intervened. Baek raised these issues at the National Assembly in July last year, also pointing to alleged retaliatory personnel changes and claims that prosecutors obstructed the police investigation.
However, Baek's claims had previously been dismissed as one-sided assertions without any clear resolution. Even after the launch of the joint investigation team under the Lee Jaemyung administration, there was no significant progress. Amid ongoing criticism of a 'self-investigation,' the Supreme Prosecutors' Office reassigned command of the joint investigation team, previously led by the Supreme Prosecutors' Office's Narcotics and Organized Crime Division, to Im Eunjung, who had held a private meeting with Baek after taking office on July 17. Still, there were no notable developments.
Ultimately, President Lee personally intervened on this day, reinforcing the investigation team by including Baek and expressing his determination to uncover the truth without exception, thereby revitalizing the joint investigation. With the National Assembly audit set to begin on October 13, there are indications that President Lee aims to bring to light allegations from the Yoon Sukyeol administration and use them as momentum for future reforms of power institutions.
President Lee also demonstrated his intent to address distorted practices that originated during the Yoon Sukyeol administration throughout the audit period. He stated, "Take immediate action on anything that can be corrected and actively accept the National Assembly's criticisms, regardless of party affiliation." He further warned, "If valid criticisms are left unaddressed without reason, there will be strict consequences." This reiterates the importance of respecting the National Assembly, especially given the frequent heated disputes between cabinet members and the opposition during audits under the Yoon administration.
Additionally, President Lee instructed that any misunderstandings, manipulations, or slander arising during the audit process should be addressed swiftly and proactively. He emphasized that, to restore the audit's original function, the government should accept and promptly address legitimate criticisms from both parties, while clearly correcting any seriously mistaken claims in the public setting of the audit, thereby safeguarding the audit's public credibility.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
