Philippines Prisoner 'Drug Kingpin Mr. Park' Repatriated After 9 Years

Park Wang-ryeol, the key figure in the 'Sugarcane Field Murder Case' for killing three South Koreans in the Philippines in 2016, was repatriated to South Korea on the 25th. Mr. Park is also accused of distributing large quantities of drugs domestically while imprisoned in the Philippines.

Mr. Park departed the Philippines around 2:35 AM Korean time on the 25th and arrived in South Korea around 6:40 AM on the same day.

President Lee Jae-myung requested the provisional extradition of Mr. Park from Philippine President Marcos during a South Korea-Philippines summit meeting in March. The repatriation process, which had faced difficulties for over nine years, was advanced through summit diplomacy and completed in about a month.

The government plans to investigate Mr. Park's criminal activities and pursue and punish his accomplices and criminal proceeds. This repatriation reflects the government's determination to hold overseas fugitives accountable, and the government has strengthened international cooperation, responding to transnational crimes with a zero-tolerance policy.