Police Superintendent Baek Hae-ryong, dispatched to a joint investigation team under the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office to investigate the "alleged pressure on customs drug investigations" on the orders of President Lee Jae-myung, called the team an "illegal organization."
On the morning of the 16th, Baek met with reporters in front of the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office building in Munjeong-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, and said, "I have argued that the joint investigation team is an illegal organization formed in violation of the law, yet I am reporting there for work. As a public official, my convictions are shaken."
Asked for an opinion on "forming a separate team from the original team due to controversy over a self-investigation," Baek argued, "If the person in charge of the investigation is pressured by someone in power, the investigation should include the person who applied pressure, and it does not make sense to say the victim should be separated from the investigation."
Baek also said, "Senior public officials are involved in the drug-gate pressure case," adding, "Prosecutors cannot investigate senior public officials. Prosecutors cannot investigate themselves either."
Regarding Seoul Eastern District Prosecutor Chief Lim Eun-jung, who commands the joint investigation team, Baek said, "There is no communication." Baek added, "I have always greatly respected senior colleagues who retired with honor. I wonder if I should quietly follow that path," and said, "For now, I will report to work, collect my thoughts, and, if given the chance, share them."
Addressing the criticism that Baek "does not follow the orders of the person with command authority," Baek said, "That has never happened, and I have never once violated procedure," adding, "Even now, the personnel order has been issued and I am fulfilling my duty to report to work."
The alleged pressure on the customs drug investigation emerged as police probed a drug smuggling case at Incheon Customs. In Oct. 2023, Baek was head of the Second Criminal Division at the Yeongdeungpo Police Station in Seoul and was the working-level lead when police arrested members of a transnational drug ring on suspicion of smuggling 74 kilograms of methamphetamine worth 220 billion won from Malaysia.
Baek later tried to brief the media on suspicions that Incheon Customs officials provided favors as drug ring members entered through Incheon International Airport, but was unable to do so. Baek has claimed, "Police higher-ups blocked the briefing," alleging outside pressure. Baek also claimed, "I suspect that Yoon Suk-yeol, the former president, and his spouse are at the end point of the pressure." However, officials in the chain of command at the time denied the pressure allegations.
To investigate the allegations, the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office launched a joint investigation team in Jun. as a government-wide effort with the police, the National Tax Service, and the Korea Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). Chief Prosecutor Lim Eun-jung is leading the probe.
Baek's dispatch to the joint team was pushed on the 12th on the orders of President Lee Jae-myung. However, in a statement posted on social media (SNS) on the 15th, Baek said, "The joint team is an 'illegal organization' that did not go through lawful procedures and processes," and added, "(Even if dispatched) at a minimum, measures are needed to allow the practical exercise of investigative powers for a proper investigation."
Although the appointment date for Baek's dispatch to the Eastern District Prosecutors' Office was the previous day, Baek took annual leave citing a scheduled broadcast appearance and reported for the first time that day.