Police to seek arrest warrant for drug trafficker repatriated from Philippines

▲ Park Wang-yeol, a drug trafficker temporarily repatriated from the Philippines, arrives at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on March 25, 2026. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

police-drug trafficker

Police to seek arrest warrant for drug trafficker repatriated from Philippines

By Lee Haye-ah

SEOUL, March 26 (Yonhap) -- Police said Thursday they plan to seek an arrest warrant for a notorious drug trafficker repatriated from the Philippines this week to undergo investigation on drug smuggling and distribution charges.

Park Wang-yeol, a 48-year-old South Korean who has been serving a 60-year prison sentence in the Philippines for the murders of three South Koreans in 2016, arrived in the country on Wednesday and was immediately taken into custody by the Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police.

The temporary repatriation was arranged under an extradition treaty between the two countries and came about three weeks after President Lee Jae Myung requested Manila's cooperation during a state visit to the Philippines.

Police said they questioned him for 10 hours on Wednesday, focusing on whether Park admits to the allegations of drug smuggling and distribution presented by his accomplices before his return.

Park acknowledged most of the allegations, they said.

In total, Park is suspected of smuggling 4.6 kilograms of methamphetamine into South Korea in 2024 by giving instructions to his accomplices while in custody in the Philippines.

He is also suspected of selling approximately 3 billion won (US$1.99 million) worth of illegal drugs in Seoul, Busan, Daegu and other locations, with the help of associates from 2019 to 2020.

More than 40 of his accomplices have so far been detained by police, in addition to 194 people who purchased the substances.

The Uijeongbu District Court plans to hold a hearing Friday to determine whether to issue the arrest warrant.

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