SUWON, South Korea, May 3 (Yonhap) — A district court on Sunday issued an arrest warrant for a key drug supplier to notorious drug trafficker Park Wang-yeol following his repatriation from Thailand last week.
The Suwon District Court issued the warrant for the man, surnamed Choi, on charges of violating the Narcotics Control Act, citing the flight risk and concerns about him destroying evidence.
Choi, who arrived in South Korea on Friday from Thailand, has undergone police investigation for his alleged ties with Park.
Choi is accused of smuggling and distributing illegal drugs worth 10 billion won (US$6.77 million) since 2019.
During the investigation, Choi partly admitted to separate drug-related allegations, but is believed to have denied the alleged relationship with Park, claiming that he was not aware of the drug kingpin.
Choi is believed to have led a luxurious life overseas, funded by illicit activities. He first came to authorities’ attention during the investigation into Park, who was repatriated from the Philippines on March 25.
Park is accused of trafficking methamphetamine into South Korea from overseas. He was returned in a temporary repatriation under an extradition treaty between Seoul and Manila. He had been serving a 60-year prison sentence in the Philippines for the murder of three South Koreans in 2016.
A key drug supplier to notorious drug trafficker Park Wang-yeol, surnamed Choi, comes out from the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency in Suwon, just south of Seoul, on May 3, 2026, to attend a court hearing to review whether to issue an arrest warrant against him on charges of violating the Narcotics Control Act. (Yonhap)
sooyeon@yna.co.kr
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