MANILA – South Korean authorities have taken into custody an alleged drug kingpin, Park Wang-yeol, who was serving a 60-year sentence for triple homicide in the Philippines, officials said.

Park, believed to be 47, was flown to South Korea under temporary extradition following a request by President Lee Jae Myung to Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier this month.

The temporary extradition, allowed under a treaty between the two countries, pauses Park’s sentence in the Philippines so he can face investigation in South Korea, officials from Seoul’s foreign and justice ministries explained.

South Korean authorities said Park allegedly ran a narcotics ring in the country, smuggling and distributing “large quantities” of illegal drugs with accomplices. Some local media reports claimed he was distributing around 60 kilograms of methamphetamine per month, with a street value of roughly 30 billion won ($20 million).

President Lee thanked Marcos for facilitating the extradition, saying South Korea “will chase anyone harming the country to the end of the earth.”

The foreign ministry added that it was crucial for Park to be investigated and face trial in South Korea to prevent his alleged criminal activities while incarcerated abroad from setting a precedent for others.

Officials said Park had twice escaped Philippine prisons, exploiting weak supervision that allowed inmates to use smuggled mobile phones to continue illegal activities.

Justice and police ministry officials in Seoul declined to comment on the exact scale or value of his alleged drug operations. Philippine authorities could not be reached for immediate comment.