Kwon Do-hyung finally went to the U.S. after a year and nine months of arrest.New York Court of Appeal

[Anchor]
Kwon Do-hyung, a key figure in the 2022 cryptocurrency 'Terra and Luna' crash, was eventually handed over to the United States.

It has been a year and nine months since his arrest, and if Kwon is tried in New York, the U.S., he could be sentenced to more than 100 years in prison.

Correspondent Jo Su-hyun reports from London.

[Reporter]
Kwon Do-hyung, who is handcuffed, is escorted by police with his eyes covered.

The Montenegro Police Agency released the photo, saying that Kwon's whereabouts were handed over to U.S. law enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the FBI.It has been more than a year and nine months since Mr.
was arrested at Podgorica International Airport in the capital of Montenegro.Kwon, who left Korea in April 2022 just before the

Terra/Luna crash, was arrested in Montenegro in March 2023 after fleeing the country.

[Marco Kovaci / Minister of Justice, Montenegro (March 2023)]: The seriousness of the crime, the place of execution of the crime, the request for extradition, and the citizenship of the parties will be considered in the extradition.]

The two countries have been competing to secure recruits after being charged with fraud in South Korea and the United States, and Montenegro seems to have decided on the U.S. side in consideration of national interests and relations with the U.S.

In the meantime, Kwon Do-hyung has taken desperate measures to be repatriated to Korea by all legal means.

This is because the maximum sentence for economic crimes in Korea is more than 40 years, but the U.S. can even serve up to 100 years in prison.

In the end, however, as he was tried in New York, the U.S., he was more likely to face much heavier punishment than if he were repatriated to Korea.

Our Ministry of Justice stated that it will work closely with the U.S. side in the future to make Kwon face punishment equivalent to guilt in both countries.

He also added that he will continue to make efforts to recover the damage by thoroughly recovering the proceeds of the crime.

Investors around the world are estimated to suffer more than 50 trillion won from the Terra and Luna crash in 2022.

I'm Jo Suhyun of YTN in London.



Video editing: Seo Young-mi