Korea repatriates drug kingpin from Philippines

President Lee Jae Myung and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. shake hands ahead of their summit at Malacanang Palace, the Philippines' presidential office in Manila, March 3. Yonhap

Cheong Wa Dae said Korea repatriated an imprisoned drug lord from the Philippines, Wednesday, less than a month after President Lee Jae Myung requested temporary custody for him during a summit between the leaders of the two countries.

Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said the repatriation of the Korean national, surnamed Park, reflects Lee’s firm resolve and diplomatic efforts to eradicate transnational crime after more than nine years of stalemate in extradition proceedings.

Although the government did not disclose his full name, the individual is widely understood to be Park Wang-yeol. The spokesperson's references to the 2016 "sugarcane field murder," the large-scale drug trafficking he allegedly continued from prison and his Telegram alias "Worldwide" all point to Park.

Park Wang-yeol / Courtesy of Pampanga Provincial Jail

“The government swiftly repatriated Park, known as the ‘Worldwide,’ early this morning,” Kang said in a written briefing.

“This outcome reflects the president’s strong commitment and diplomatic endeavors to combat crime across the border,” she said, explaining that his repatriation had faced difficulties for more than nine years despite diplomatic and judicial efforts.

“With the president’s determined summit diplomacy, the yearslong extradition process was completed in just under a month,” she added, referring to Lee’s direct request to Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to grant Park’s temporary extradition during their summit in Manila on March 3.

Park was convicted of the murder of three Koreans in a sugarcane field in the Philippines in October 2016. The Philippine court sentenced him to 60 years in prison.

He escaped from jail twice before being recaptured. He sparked public outrage in Korea as he allegedly continued distributing drugs to the country through Telegram and lived a luxurious life in prison.

Upon his arrival, the government will investigate all of Park’s criminal activities, track down accomplices and illicit proceeds, and ensure strict punishment under the law.

“The repatriation of Park demonstrates the government’s strong determination to ensure that criminals hiding abroad are held accountable,” Kang said.

“The government will continue to maintain a zero-tolerance policy toward transnational crime and strengthen international cooperation so that criminals have nowhere to hide anywhere in the world.”

Park Wang-yeol, center, a convicted criminal accused of smuggling drugs into South Korea, is escorted by police officials at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Korea and the Philippines have an extradition treaty, but in principle, a prisoner must complete their sentence in the host country before being repatriated.

An individual can be brought to Korea under a temporary extradition arrangement to face trial.

The Ministry of Justice requested Park’s extradition in 2018, but the Philippine government put the request on hold.