Park Wang-yeol, the real-life inspiration for the film 'The Roundup 2' and one of the top three drug lords in Southeast Asia, was repatriated to South Korea on the 25th. With his handover, police investigations into major drug users in Korea—including Hwang Ha-na, the maternal granddaughter of the founder of Namyang Dairy Products—are gathering momentum.
According to police investigations, Park Wang-yeol was the mastermind behind the 2016 sugarcane plantation murder case in the Philippines. Even while detained there, he is accused of distributing up to 60 kg of drugs each month—worth an estimated 30 billion won—in South Korea via Telegram. Evidence suggests that after passing through a domestic main handler known as 'Vatican Kingdom', the drugs were funneled to young heirs from wealthy business families, including Hwang Ha-na.
Hwang Ha-na, who is currently detained on charges of violating the Narcotic Drugs Management Act, previously received a suspended sentence for methamphetamine use tied to entertainer Park Yoo-chun. After that, she fled to Southeast Asia but returned voluntarily in December last year. Once Park Wang-yeol's whereabouts and custody are secured, law enforcement plans to thoroughly trace the drug distribution pipeline connected to Hwang Ha-na, from source to end recipients.
This handover could even reignite the so-called 'Burning Sun' scandal. Hwang Ha-na was reportedly a major VIP customer at 'Burning Sun', the club whose real owner is believed to be Seungri, a former member of BIGBANG. At the time, allegations that she took part in a drug-fueled party have resurfaced once again. Seungri had recently been released from prison after serving a 1 year and 6 months sentence for nine charges, including habitual gambling. However, with Park Wang-yeol's transfer, calls for a new investigation into the drug distribution routes that had been left dormant during that period are growing louder.
The prosecution and police plan to focus their questioning of Park Wang-yeol on the whereabouts of any criminal proceeds and on any additional individuals in the entertainment and business sectors who may have been involved. Everyone is watching to see whether this notorious drug lord's return will develop into a major drug scandal that shakes society across South Korea.
