Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office Considers Requesting Termination of Baek's Secondment
Baek Haeryong: "Both the Supreme Prosecutors' Office and the National Investigation Headquarters Are Subjects of Investigation"
The joint investigation team formed by the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office to probe allegations of external pressure in customs drug investigations is reportedly considering ending the secondment of Chief Inspector Baek Haeryong.
Chief Inspector Baek Haeryong (left) and Eunjeong Lim, Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office. Photo by Yonhap News Agency
According to legal sources on December 20, the joint investigation team, operating under the direction of Chief Prosecutor Eunjeong Lim, is said to be discussing a request to the Supreme Prosecutors' Office to terminate Baek's secondment.
Baek's original secondment was set to end on November 14, but the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office requested an extension, which was granted until January 14 of next year.
During this period, Baek and the joint investigation team have been engaged in public disputes over the decision to clear customs staff of drug allegations, the issue of disclosing investigative materials, and the rejection of search and seizure warrants.
On December 17, Baek strongly objected to the joint investigation team's rejection of a search and seizure warrant he had requested, releasing both the warrant and the rejection decision to the public.
In response, about an hour and a half later, the joint investigation team issued a statement, expressing serious concern over the repeated external disclosure of investigative documents and stating that they would request strict measures.
Amid these developments, news that the joint investigation team is considering requesting the termination of Baek's secondment prompted Baek to release Telegram messages exchanged with Chief Prosecutor Lim.
On the same day, Baek posted related news articles and screenshots of Telegram conversations with Lim from August and October on Facebook.
In the released messages, Chief Prosecutor Lim reaffirmed her position that "Baek, as both the complainant and a key witness, cannot be the main investigator in the external pressure case." In response, Baek argued that "the joint investigation team, formed through trickery, should quietly return to its original place" and insisted that "both the Supreme Prosecutors' Office and the National Investigation Headquarters are subjects of investigation."
In his post, Baek claimed that the move to end his secondment "has long been prepared by the Supreme Prosecutors' Office and the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office, especially Chief Prosecutor Eunjeong Lim, to silence me and tie my hands."
He further emphasized, "The public is demanding a thorough investigation into the true nature of the drug gate. Since decisive evidence has already been secured and analyzed, it is now time for Baek Haeryong's team to be allowed to conduct the investigation directly."
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