On November 16, 2025, South Korea’s political and legal circles were set abuzz as a major bribery and corruption scandal involving Baek Gyeong-jeong, a senior police inspector, burst into the public eye. The controversy, which has simmered for months behind the scenes, erupted after Han Dong-hoon, a former national prosecutor and ex-leader of the People Power Party, took to social media and a press briefing to sharply criticize President Lee Jae-myung’s role in the unfolding drama. According to Asia Economy and News1, Han did not mince words, declaring, “The person who handed a knife to someone who should be on medication is President Lee Jae-myung,” and adding, “When the Baek Hyeong show is over, President Lee, who was both casting and directing, must take responsibility.”
Han’s pointed remarks come in the wake of a series of bombshell revelations by Baek Gyeong-jeong himself. On November 14, Baek submitted a hefty 12-page dossier to the joint investigation team at the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office. In this document, Baek detailed allegations of illegal gambling, bribery, and what he described as systematic efforts to pressure witnesses into reversing their statements. He claimed, “The joint task force is summoning Malaysian couriers in custody and coercing them to change their testimonies.” Baek’s accusations did not stop there—he also suggested that the entire joint investigation team should be scrutinized for potential misconduct, and he vowed to revisit earlier claims of external pressure on narcotics investigations.
Baek’s whistleblowing has thrown the joint investigation team, known as the 합수단, into turmoil. As Asia Economy reported, Baek distributed his press materials as an individual, rather than as a representative of the team, raising eyebrows about internal discord. The Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office was quick to distance itself from Baek’s statements, insisting, “The materials submitted by Inspector Baek were not coordinated with the prosecution and do not represent our official position.” Prosecutors also stressed that “the direction of the joint investigation remains unchanged.”
The roots of the controversy stretch back to 2023, when Baek, then stationed at the Yeongdeungpo Police Station, led a probe into a methamphetamine smuggling case. During that investigation, he claimed to have uncovered evidence suggesting involvement by Incheon customs officials. Baek further alleged that the presidential office and oversight agencies attempted to stifle the investigation, a charge that has only intensified scrutiny of the current administration.
In October 2025, Baek was dispatched to the joint investigation team at the direct instruction of President Lee Jae-myung. Prosecutors say Baek was granted considerable autonomy to pursue the case, but his subsequent actions—especially his public airing of grievances—have cast a shadow over the integrity and cohesion of the investigative effort. According to News1, Baek was summoned for questioning on October 15, 2025, where he testified before approximately 15 witnesses, detailing his claims of evidence destruction and attempts to obstruct the investigation.
Han Dong-hoon’s criticism of President Lee is not new. He previously accused the administration of “handing a knife to someone lost in delusion,” and lambasted Im Eun-jung, the head of the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office, for what he described as reckless oversight. Han’s latest comments have reignited debate over where ultimate responsibility for the scandal lies, with some arguing that President Lee’s direct involvement in assigning Baek to the task force implicates him in any subsequent fallout.
Meanwhile, Baek Gyeong-jeong has continued to defend the veracity of his submissions. He insisted, “The documents I provided are genuine, not fabricated,” pushing back against any suggestion of impropriety. The investigation team has maintained that the evidence submitted by Baek remains “consistent and unchanged,” despite the swirling allegations of misconduct and internal strife.
The prosecution’s handling of Baek has also come under scrutiny. Im Eun-jung, the chief prosecutor, previously excluded Baek from participating in certain aspects of the investigation, citing a conflict of interest—Baek had filed complaints about the very case he was investigating. Nevertheless, Baek’s tenure with the joint task force was recently extended through January 2026, and he has requested that the size of the investigative team be increased to at least 15 members. Prosecutors, however, have been tight-lipped about these requests, reiterating only that “the prosecution’s position remains unchanged.”
The broader implications of the scandal are hard to ignore. With Han Dong-hoon calling for the case to be revealed as a full-blown corruption scandal if Baek’s allegations are substantiated, the stakes for both the investigative team and the administration are high. The Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office is currently investigating Baek Gyeong-jeong for public corruption and bribery charges, and the outcome could reverberate across the political landscape.
For President Lee Jae-myung, the controversy poses a serious challenge. Han’s assertion that “the public will not forget, and when the Baek Hyeong show is over, President Lee must take responsibility” has struck a chord with critics of the administration, who see the scandal as emblematic of deeper issues within the government’s approach to law enforcement and oversight. Supporters of President Lee, on the other hand, have pushed back, arguing that the investigation should proceed without political interference and that the facts should speak for themselves.
As the investigation grinds on, both sides are digging in. Baek Gyeong-jeong has signaled his intention to continue cooperating with prosecutors and to shed light on what he views as systemic corruption. The prosecution, for its part, insists that the integrity of the investigation remains intact, despite the public spectacle and internal disagreements. The coming months promise to be pivotal, as the case moves toward a resolution that could have lasting consequences for South Korea’s justice system and political leadership.
The Baek Gyeong-jeong bribery scandal is more than just a legal battle—it’s a test of accountability at the highest levels of government, and a reminder that, in South Korea as elsewhere, the pursuit of justice is rarely straightforward.
