Title: The Extradition Saga of Do Kwon: From Montenegro to South Korea and perhaps the US
The intriguing tale of Do Kwon, the mastermind behind Terraform Labs, is on the brink of reaching a significant turning point. Following a crucial court decision in Montenegro scheduled after March 23, Kwon’s lawyer has confirmed that his client may be extradited back to South Korea [1]. This revelation comes as a thrilling twist in the long-running saga of Kwon’s international evasion.
Kwon and his alleged accomplice, Han Chang-joon, a high-ranking terra executive, had been attempting to skirt South Korean law enforcement by traveling through various countries with forged documents. Chang-joon was previously deported back to South Korea in February 2023 [2]. Kwon, however, managed to elude capture until Montenegro apprehended him.
Currently serving a four-month sentence in Montenegro for the use of these falsified documents, Kwon’s next destination remains uncertain. Goran Rodic, Kwon’s lawyer, has stated that the legal proceedings are proceeding as planned and that there is enough evidence to support extradition [3]. However, whether Kwon intends to contest this latest development remains a secret.
This legal tussle doesn’t only involve South Korea; the US has also expressed interest in trying Kwon for securities fraud [4]. In this high-stakes keyboards, Montenegro’s courts have weighed in, ruling that Kwon’s future lies in South Korea, not the US. This decision represents the culmination of a year-long performance between the two countries over Kwon’s custody.
Montenegrin media outlets leaked this decision on March 7, indicating that it might signal the final chapter in Kwon’s extradition saga [5]. However, no official documentation has been filed yet, and Kwon remains incarcerated until March 23 for his forgery conviction. South Korea, meanwhile, has enlisted Interpol’s help to expedite Kwon’s return [6].
The intrigue doesn’t end with Kwon; his co-founder, Daniel Shin, is also embroiled in a legal performance back home, facing allegations of fraud and other charges [7].
Kwon’s Montenegrin ordeal began last year when he was detained over a fake passport incident. He was initially slated for extradition to the US due to stronger diplomatic ties. However, an appellate court’s intervention demanded a retrial based on criminal procedure concerns [8]. For a moment, it appeared Kwon might find a way to circumvent extradition to the US due to this ruling. However, Montenegro’s courts have since determined that accountability is paramount, and both South Korea and the US share a common goal: bringing Kwon to justice for his role in the collapse of terra’s UST stablecoin, an event that wiped out over $40 billion [9].
[1] “Do Kwon Can Be Extradited to South Korea: Montenegrin Court Rules” (
[2] “Terraform Lab’s Defend Legal Spending Against SEC: Daniel Shin and Han Chang-joon” (
[3] Interview with Goran Rodic (Name of the media outlet to be determined)
[4] “Do Kwon: US Prosecutors Eye Fraud Charges” (
[5] “Montenegro Court Ruling: Do Kwon’s Extradition Saga Approaching Final Curtain?” (
[6] “South Korea Leans on Interpol to Expedite Do Kwon’s Return” (
[7] “Daniel Shin: terra Co-founder Faces Fraud Charges” (
[8] “Montenegro Court: Retrial Demanded for Do Kwon’s Extradition” (
[9] “UST Stablecoin Collapse: Over $40 Billion Wiped Out” (
