Lee requests temporary extradition of Philippine-jailed 'drug kingpin' and urges action on crimes against Korean residents

\r\n[The Financial News, Seoul and Manila (Republic of the Philippines) = Reporters Seong Seok-woo and Choi Jong-geun]Lee Jae Myung said on the 4th (local time) that, during a luncheon meeting with Korean residents in Manila, Republic of the Philippines, he requested the temporary extradition to South Korea of a Korean "drug kingpin" currently imprisoned in the Republic of the Philippines. He also expressed appreciation for the swift investigations into violent crimes targeting Koreans in the country, as well as for the dedicated systems run by local authorities, including the Korean Desk Team and the Korean Help Desk.
Lee stated, "I made an official request to President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr.," adding, "I was told that even from inside the prison he is still exporting drugs to the Republic of Korea." He went on, "They say he calls in his girlfriend to the prison to have fun and continues exporting drugs, so I said we need to bring him to the Republic of Korea for investigation. I asked for his transfer, and they said they would actively review it and try to carry it out as soon as possible."
Lee also raised the issue of investigations into violent crimes against Koreans in the Republic of the Philippines. "There was a murder case. There are reports that local police were involved and then fled," he said. "I asked them to catch the perpetrators quickly as well," he added, noting that the authorities "promised to do their utmost."
On the safety of overseas Koreans, Lee remarked, "The Republic of Korea is paying close attention to crimes committed against its nationals abroad." He continued, "We have set up special teams that are being dispatched to Cambodia, Southeast Asia, and Laos, and it appears there are some operating in the Republic of the Philippines as well." He added, "Through cooperation projects in the policing field, we are spreading the message in local media that 'if you mess with people from the Republic of Korea, your life will be ruined,' and we are investing manpower and budgets to an extraordinary degree to crack down on crimes targeting our own citizens."
He then said, "As a result, scam crimes and voice phishing targeting our citizens have statistically seen a 22% drop in total losses, and the trend has turned downward," adding, "Just like real estate prices in the Republic of Korea have turned downward."
Lee made a point of highlighting the Republic of the Philippines authorities' dedicated support systems. "Fortunately, the authorities in the Republic of the Philippines are taking practical, friendly measures toward the government of the Republic of Korea," he said. "They are operating a separate Korean Desk Team," he noted. He went on, "They have also created a separate Korean Help Desk and are working hard to minimize harm to Koreans." Lee added, "No other country has such arrangements except the Republic of the Philippines," calling it "a gesture of consideration by the Philippine government."
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west@fnnews.com Seong Seok-woo, Choi Jong-geun Reporter