South Korea Seeks Interpol’s Assistance in Extradition of Do Kwon Amid Ongoing Legal Dispute

South Korea is urgently seeking assistance from Interpol in the extradition case of Do Kwon, co-founder of Terraform Labs. Kwon is facing multiple charges, including securities fraud, related to the collapse of the Terra ecosystem in May 2022.

The Montenegrin court recently canceled Kwon’s extradition order to the United States, which has provided an opportunity for South Korea to renew their request for extradition. To pursue this, South Korea’s National Police Agency has formally requested Interpol’s intervention.

On March 7th, the agency sent a written letter to Interpol’s General Secretariat, along with an electronic document, seeking help in extraditing Kwon. The Ministry of Justice’s International Criminal Division and the National Police Agency are working together to repatriate Kwon, utilizing international channels for cooperation.

However, South Korea is currently awaiting a response from Interpol regarding their extradition request.

The recent setback occurred when the Montenegrin court canceled Kwon’s extradition order to the U.S. This decision was made after an appeal from Kwon’s defense, which raised concerns about the validity of the order. The defense argued that the court’s initial decision was based on misinformation about the sequence of extradition requests between the U.S. and South Korea.

In the meantime, Kwon is facing charges related to securities fraud and the collapse of the Terra ecosystem, which resulted in significant financial losses for investors.

Prior to Kwon’s arrest in September 2022, South Korean authorities had already requested Interpol to issue a “red notice” for him. This notice was issued by Interpol, indicating that Kwon was being sought for arrest.

Last year in March, Kwon was arrested by the Montenegrin police at Podgorica airport. During the arrest, forged passports, including Costa Rican and Belgian documents, were discovered. As a result, Kwon and a co-conspirator were formally charged with forgery, leading to legal proceedings in a Podgorica court.

The extradition saga highlights the complexities of international legal proceedings and the challenges involved in cross-border criminal investigations.