Lim Eun-jeong, head of the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office, warned on the 9th regarding the "alleged involvement of customs in drug smuggling," telling Police Inspector Baek Hae-ryong, who raised the allegations, to "distinguish feelings and speculation from facts." As the joint investigation team concluded both the alleged abetment of drug smuggling by customs officials and the alleged external pressure as "no charges" in an interim result the same day, Lim issued a direct rebuke after Baek objected.
Lim posted on her Facebook page the same day, saying, "I supported Inspector Baek, whom I first met at a whistleblowers' gathering, but I was taken aback after reviewing the related records upon my assignment to the prosecution," and added, "The only evidence of customs' involvement is the statements of the drug smugglers, but they recanted during questioning, and there is video showing them freely conspiring to lie in Malay in front of the police, including Inspector Baek, so it's only natural to be taken aback."
Lim noted, "Deceived by the drug smugglers' lies, the investigative target shifted from the drug smuggling ring to customs officials, and customs officials, who are a key pillar of drug investigations, were branded as accomplices in drug smuggling and subjected to more than two years of investigation, preventing them from focusing on drug enforcement, causing significant harm both personally and at the national level."
She continued, "Before raising an issue publicly, one must ask, 'Is it certain, can it be proven, can it be defended, can it be endured,'" and said, "One must speak by distinguishing feelings and speculation from facts. It's dangerous." She added, "Since taking office at the Eastern District Prosecutors' Office, I have encountered several of Inspector Baek's claims that are not consistent with the facts," and stressed, "I will closely review the records to avoid repeating mistakes and errors like those confirmed in the 2023 live investigation video at Incheon Airport."
Lim's remarks came immediately after the joint investigation team released its interim findings that day. The joint investigation team concluded both the alleged abetment of drug smuggling by customs officials and the alleged external pressure as "no charges." According to the findings, "There was no involvement in the investigation or exercise of external pressure by the Yeongdeungpo Police Station or the leadership of the Korea Customs Service, and no indication of involvement by the presidential office was confirmed."
Inspector Baek immediately pushed back. He said that day, "Customs and the prosecution intentionally covered up the drug investigation," and disclosed, "I applied for search and seizure warrants for six places: the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, the Incheon District Prosecutors' Office, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, Incheon Airport Customs, Gimhae Customs, and Seoul Main Customs."
He added, "Prosecutors who concealed a drug case directly tied to national security should be removed from their duties," and said, "We will book as suspects two prosecutors who were in charge of customs drug investigations at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office and the Incheon District Prosecutors' Office, respectively, and will also notify the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) that we have identified criminal facts."
The alleged external pressure in the customs drug investigation surfaced when, in Jan. 2023, Malaysian drug smugglers testified that they "brought in about 24 kg of methamphetamine with the help of a customs official." Police subsequently booked customs officials as suspects and carried out an investigation, but the joint investigation team ultimately concluded that "there was no indication of collusion."