The joint investigation team (JIT) of the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office, which has been probing allegations of external pressure in a customs drug investigation, announced on the 26th that it concluded all claims raised by Senior Superintendent Baek Hae-ryong were baseless and terminated the investigation. The JIT stated that the allegations were “groundless suspicions stemming from an investigation reliant on false statements by drug smugglers,” using expressions like “evidence manipulation” and “답정너” (a slang meaning “the answer is predetermined”) to criticize Baek’s probe. Legal circles pointed out, “Taxpayer money and state authority were wasted for half a year verifying unsubstantiated claims made by a single police senior superintendent.”
The JIT revealed that it found no substance in all allegations Baek had raised, including customs involvement in drug smuggling, external pressure on police and customs investigations, intervention by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration’s presidential office, and prosecutors’ alleged cover-up. It decided not to indict former Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon and 14 customs officials.
Baek’s allegations shook the political landscape for over two years. As the head of the criminal investigation unit at Seoul’s Yeongdeungpo Police Station in 2023, Baek secured statements from three Malaysian couriers during a drug smuggling probe, claiming Incheon Airport customs officers aided the smuggling. He later expanded the investigation...
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