Took 3,500 Pages to CIO but Rejected... Baek Haeryong Questions "Is There a Will to Investigate?"

Submission of 3,500 Pages of Investigation Records Thwarted
CIO Rejects Application Citing "Procedural Flaws"
JIT Dismisses Warrant for "Lack of Objective Substantiation"
Early Termination of Baek's Dispatch Under Review

Baek Haeryong, Chief Inspector dispatched to the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) of the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office, which is probing allegations of customs drug investigation cover-ups, strongly protested after his attempt to apply for a search and seizure warrant from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) was thwarted at the submission stage due to the prosecution's rejection of the warrant. The conflict between Chief Inspector Baek and the JIT appears to be escalating into an irreparable standoff.

Chief Inspector Baek Haeryong (left) and Eunjeong Lim, Chief Prosecutor of Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office. Photo by Yonhap News.

On December 27, Chief Inspector Baek revealed on Facebook that he had visited the CIO on December 23 with approximately 3,500 pages of investigation records, but was informed that the submission would be put on hold. According to Chief Inspector Baek, the CIO cited procedural flaws as reasons for refusal, including the unclear existence of an investigation team and the fact that the recipient field on the warrant application listed "Chief Prosecutor of Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office." In response, Baek criticized the CIO, stating, "Refusing to accept the application without even requesting supplementation is an expression of their unwillingness to uncover the substance of the investigation," and argued that the CIO had effectively dismissed the case indirectly.

The situation began when Chief Inspector Baek's investigation team applied for search and seizure warrants for six related agencies, including the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, and Incheon Airport Customs, through the JIT. However, the JIT, led by Chief Prosecutor Eunjeong Lim, rejected the warrants, stating, "There is insufficient objective substantiation of the allegations, and most of the documents are based on personal speculation." The JIT is particularly concerned about Chief Inspector Baek's actions in disclosing the warrant and the rejection order on social media, considering it a serious leak of investigative secrets. The JIT is reportedly reviewing the option of requesting the Supreme Prosecutors' Office to terminate Baek's dispatch early.

Within the JIT, there is growing criticism that Chief Inspector Baek's unexpected actions are undermining the fairness of the investigation and wasting administrative resources. On the other hand, Baek insists that the JIT is evading efforts to uncover the truth and is enabling the destruction of evidence. With Baek's dispatch period set to end on January 14 of next year, an unprecedented battle of public disclosures is unfolding among the investigation team members.