Joint investigation clears customs, police officials accused of aiding drug smuggling
Published: 09 Dec. 2025, 19:28
![Senior Superintendent Baek Hae-ryong answers questions from reporters regarding his claims that customs and police officials aided an illegal drug smuggling case in January 2023, on June 12. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/09/6829da28-4b19-46ca-992a-4131dcae7afd.jpg)
Senior Superintendent Baek Hae-ryong answers questions from reporters regarding his claims that customs and police officials aided an illegal drug smuggling case in January 2023, on June 12. [NEWS1]
A joint investigation by the prosecution and the police cleared customs and police officials who were accused of aiding the smuggling of illegal drugs into Korea, according to the team on Tuesday.
The joint investigation team — formally named the “Special Investigation Team on Allegations of Interference in Incheon Customs Drug Probe,” under the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office — announced interim findings on Tuesday, stating that the customs officials suspected of involvement in drug trafficking were cleared of all charges. The team determined that there was no evidence that the officials had assisted in the smuggling.
Seven senior officials from the National Police Agency and the Korea Customs Service were also cleared of abuse-of-power allegations. The team said no illegal acts or involvement from the presidential office had been identified.
The investigation began following allegations made by Senior Superintendent Baek Hae-ryong. In January 2023, while serving as the head of criminal affairs at Yeongdeungpo Police Precinct, Baek claimed that a Malaysian national had smuggled about 24 kilograms of methamphetamine into Korea with the help of customs officials. His claims were based in part on police interviews in which the smuggler allegedly said they had passed through the fourth or fifth customs checkpoint with assistance. Baek later testified at a National Assembly hearing, drawing attention from the media and lawmakers.
Police launched probe based on false testimony: Investigation
During the joint investigation, all the smugglers denied receiving help from customs officials. The team also presented footage from a reenactment of the situation, by the smugglers, conducted at Incheon Airport in September 2023.
In the video, one smuggler is seen speaking in Malay, telling a fellow smuggler, “Just act — they’re filming. That’s what matters now,” “Don’t be honest. Say you followed me out this way,” and “You were at checkpoint No. 4 or 5 — got it?” indicating that he was instructing the other person to give false testimony.
The investigation team noted that the smuggler and another smuggler were not separated during questioning, even though the latter did not speak Chinese. Only one Chinese interpreter was present, and police allegedly allowed the former to interpret for the latter in Malay — a language officers could not understand — creating an opportunity for them to manipulate their testimonies.
![A joint investigation by the prosecution and the police, formally named the ″Special Investigation Team on Allegations of Interference in Incheon Customs Drug Probe,” holds a reeanctment of the alleged drug smuggling case in September 2023. [SPECIAL INVESTIGATION TEAM]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/09/ced63604-78c5-4f2b-aea7-3d56c2c7de1e.jpg)
A joint investigation by the prosecution and the police, formally named the ″Special Investigation Team on Allegations of Interference in Incheon Customs Drug Probe,” holds a reeanctment of the alleged drug smuggling case in September 2023. [SPECIAL INVESTIGATION TEAM]
The joint investigation also found that in March 2024, the smuggler who had acted as the interpreter sent a letter to the other, confessing that they had made false statements. The letter read: “I told police I couldn’t remember anything about customs, but they said I couldn’t change my statement because it had already been recorded, so I said customs officers were involved.”
The testimony regarding the specific checkpoints also changed after police intervened. According to the investigation team, the smuggler initially said they had passed through an animal and plant quarantine checkpoint. But when an officer told them that the checkpoint was irrelevant, they revised the statement to name customs checkpoints Nos. 4 and 5. The team pointed out that on Jan. 27, 2023, all passengers had to pass through the quarantine checkpoint due to a nationwide inspection, which supports the smuggler’s original testimony — a version unfavorable to the police narrative.
The smugglers later told investigators that police repeatedly pressured them to identify certain people, which led them to name customs officers at random. They said no customs officials had escorted or assisted them in any way.
No evidence of pressure or presidential office involvement
The investigation found no basis for claims of external interference. Prosecutors raided 30 locations — including the suspects’ homes and offices, as well as police agencies and Incheon Customs — and analyzed 46 mobile phones. They found no communications with anyone in the presidential office. The National Office of Investigation first reported Baek’s drug case to the presidential office on Oct. 10, 2023 — the day of a public briefing.
The team also found that delays in press briefings, editing of news releases, and the reassignment of the case were legally justified. At the time, a raid of customs offices was planned based on the smuggler’s statement. Including that in a press release would have violated police communications rules and risked leaking sensitive information.
![Senior Superintendent Baek Hae-ryong answers questions by lawmakers during a parliamentary audit held at the National Assembly, western Seoul, regarding his claims that customs and police officials aided an illegal drug smuggling case in January 2023, on Oct. 27. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/12/09/c5741679-ef20-4605-bdb8-dcb8b49d9b0a.jpg)
Senior Superintendent Baek Hae-ryong answers questions by lawmakers during a parliamentary audit held at the National Assembly, western Seoul, regarding his claims that customs and police officials aided an illegal drug smuggling case in January 2023, on Oct. 27. [YONHAP]
Baek rejects findings, continues push for investigation
Baek dismissed the findings, saying that criminal cases "leave behind traces like fingerprints."
"There is ample circumstantial evidence implicating customs officers in the methamphetamine smuggling and the prosecution’s own case records fully support my claim," said Baek, adding that he has applied for search warrants for six locations, including the Korea Customs Service and prosecutors’ offices.
The joint team said it decided to release interim findings due to growing reputational damage to those involved, caused by speculative reports and misleading claims during the extended investigation.
"We will continue to investigate unresolved allegations, including suspicions of a cover-up by the prosecution and claims of drug trafficking linked to members of former first lady Kim Keon Hee’s family," the team said.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY LEE YOUNG-KEUN, OH SO-YEONG [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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