Montenegrin prosecutors contest a court's ruling to extradite Do Kwon to South Korea, complicating the legal saga surrounding the Terraform Labs co-founder.

Extradition Battle: Do Kwon's Legal Saga Takes a New Turn with Montenegro's High Court Ruling

Two weeks ago, a high court in Podgorica, Montenegro, ruled that Do Kwon should be extradited to South Korea. This was a reversal of a previous motion by another Montenegrin court to extradite Kwon to the United States. Do Kwon and his team considered this a victory because they had previously expressed a preference for his extradition to South Korea, Coingape reported.

South Korea has lower penalties for white-collar crimes, so it is preferred over the United States.

Shortly after the court decided to extradite Do Kwon, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) raised some concerns. The DOJ objected to Do Kwon's extradition to South Korea, citing a few international agreements and Montenegrin law. It is worth noting that the United States and South Korea have contested Do Kwon's extradition, as both countries have accused Kwon of involvement in Terraform Labs.

“The United States continues to seek Kwon’s extradition in accordance with relevant international and bilateral agreements and Montenegrin law. The United States appreciates the cooperation of the Montenegrin authorities in ensuring that all individuals are subject to the rule of law,” the DOJ outlined in a recent statement.

Legal Limbo: Procedural Errors Stall Do Kwon's Extradition to South Korea in Montenegro

Do Kwon's extradition to South Korea is scheduled for March 24. However, the office of the Supreme State Prosecutor claims that procedural errors occurred, necessitating the case being escalated to the nation's Supreme Court. The Appellate and High Courts were accused of mishandling the Do Kwon case.

The prosecutors also claimed that they went "beyond their authority to make a decision on extradition, which is the exclusive right of the Justice Minister."

According to all indications, the extraction to South Korea is not the final verdict, as it could lead to extradition to the United States, which Montenegro government officials want. However, if he is extradited to South Korea, the United States may still request that he be tried first in New York.

Nothing appears to be finalized with the complications surrounding Do Kwon's extradition until the Montenegrin Supreme Court rules.

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