Tariff Service Administrator Lee Myung-gu, referring to President Lee Jae-myung's call to thoroughly investigate the "alleged outside pressure on the Incheon Customs drug probe," said, "I think the intent is to reveal the substantive truth of the case."
At the National Assembly Strategy and Finance Committee's audit on the 21st, when People Power Party lawmaker Park Sung-hoon asked whether the president's order for strict investigation to Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office Chief Prosecutor Im Eun-jung amounted to "a guideline," the Administrator answered as above.
Earlier in 2023, allegations were raised that staff at Incheon Customs were involved in a methamphetamine smuggling case and that the presidential office and senior police and Tariff Service officials exerted outside pressure to block the police investigation.
When Park pointed out that some parts of the claims by Superintendent Baek Hae-ryong, who raised the outside-pressure allegation, did not match objective circumstances, the Administrator said, "That part is currently under investigation by the joint investigation team of the prosecution." The Administrator added, "I believe the facts will be made crystal clear."
Regarding Superintendent Baek's claim that the Tariff Service Administrator visited the presidential office in October 2023, the Administrator said, "I understand that part is also under investigation." On the claim that the Tariff Service Administrator had 200 phone calls with the Yongsan presidential office, the Administrator said, "I'm not (sure) about that part."
The Administrator said, "The Tariff Service is doing its utmost to crack down on firearms and narcotics at the forefront of the economic border."