Former Terraform Labs CFO Han Chang-joon Extradited to South Korea by Montenegro

CoinDeskPolicyPublished on 2024-02-04Last updated on 2024-02-05

Abstract

Han Chang-joon was charged with carrying falsified travel documents alongside Terra co-founder Do Kwon last year.

Han Chang-joon, the former CFO of Terraform Labs, has been extradited to South Korea by Montenegrin authorities, an official notice from Monday shows.

Han was arrested with Terra co-founder Do Kwon in March 2023 while trying to travel with falsified documents. The two were sentenced to four months in prison by a Montenegro court a few months later.

The two have remained in custody while the country determined where to extradite them. Both the U.S. and South Korea have asked for Kwon to be transferred to their respective jurisdictions to face criminal charges over the collapse of the multibillion-dollar crypto enterprise Terraform Labs in May 2022.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Han was "handed over" to South Korean authorities "for the purpose of conducting criminal proceedings for several criminal offenses related to fraud in financial investment services, investments and the capital market, for which a life sentence is threatened prison in South Korea," according to a Montenegrin police announcement.

Local counsel for Kwon told DL News Monday that a decision on his extradition is still pending. In January, Kwon appealed a decision by a local court to approve his extradition to either the U.S. or South Korea.

CoinDesk has reached out to Kwon and Han's counsel for further comment.

Edited by Sheldon Reback.

Related Reads

Ten Individuals Redefining the Power Boundaries of Cryptocurrency in 2025

Ten individuals are redefining the boundaries of power in the cryptocurrency world in 2025, a year marked by institutionalization rather than just a bull market or regulatory compliance. Wall Street capital, sovereign wealth funds, and pension funds have systematically embraced crypto. Bitcoin, propelled by corporate adoption led by Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) and ETF inflows, reached a new high of $126,000. Stablecoins like USDT and USDC became integral to global payment systems. Key figures include: - Donald Trump, who leveraged political influence to launch a personal token and enact crypto-friendly policies, including the GENIUS Act. - Michael Saylor, pioneer of corporate Bitcoin treasury strategy. - Tom Lee, a bridge between Wall Street and crypto, advocating institutional adoption. - CZ (Changpeng Zhao), who regained influence post-pardon, reshaping exchange dynamics and meme coin trends. - Vitalik Buterin, balancing Ethereum’s decentralization ethos with its role as global infrastructure. - Kim Jong-un, whose regime exploited crypto hacking for funding, highlighting geopolitical risks. - Elon Musk, whose actions and holdings significantly sway markets. - Justin Sun, adept at navigating and leveraging regulatory and market systems. - Brian Armstrong, leading Coinbase’s compliance and infrastructure expansion. - Peter Thiel, building a crypto financial empire through strategic investments in infrastructure. 2025 signifies crypto’s transformation from a rebellious alternative to a core component of the global financial system, raising questions about centralization amidst institutional adoption.

深潮Há 1h

Ten Individuals Redefining the Power Boundaries of Cryptocurrency in 2025

深潮Há 1h

Trading

Spot
Futures
活动图片