Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
Six arrested for smuggling 112kg of meth
Seized bags of meth on display at Seoul Metropolitan Station, Monday. Yonhap
By Jung Min-ho
By Jung Min-ho
The screw-making machine used in the drug-trafficking operation / Yonhap
Six members of an international drug syndicate have been arrested on charges of smuggling 112 kilograms of meth, police said Monday.
According to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, the six, including a Japanese, 32, and a Taiwanese, 25, allegedly colluded in smuggling 112 kilograms of meth into Korea on July 6.
The amount, which is worth about 370 billion won ($327 million), is the largest seizure of the drug in the country.
According to police, 112 bags of the drug were concealed inside a screw-making machine, which was transported from Bangkok to the Busan Port. Two Taiwanese men later moved the machine to a warehouse in Hwaseong, where they took it apart to get the drug.
The two sold 22 kilograms of meth to a Japanese dealer, who eventually sold it to a Korean man for 1.1 billion won.
Police said they were searching for four people believed to have planned the operation and given instructions to the other six.
Police are working with police in Japan, Taiwan and Thailand.