South Korean ‘sugar cane killer’ extradited from Philippines over drug empire

On Wednesday, after nine years of failed extradition attempts, that arrangement finally came to an end.

Bearded, silent and dressed in casual clothing, the 48-year-old arrived at Incheon International Airport near Seoul under escort by plain-clothes officers, his handcuffed, tattooed arms wrapped in black cloth.

Reporters shouted questions into the arrivals hall, but Park said nothing as officers guided him towards a waiting vehicle – an understated homecoming for one of South Korea’s most wanted men.

“This is one of the most notorious cases,” said Lee Dong-un, a lawyer at Infinity Law Firm who previously headed the South Korean Justice Ministry’s international criminal department. “His extradition, although temporary, is quite significant.”