Ex-defense minister's Australian move greenlit after travel ban lifts

Lee Jong-sup, former defense minister, attends a meeting held by the Legislation and Judiciary Committee at the National Assembly in western Seoul in last September. [YONHAP]

The Justice Ministry on Friday lifted the travel ban imposed on former defense minister and recently appointed ambassador to Australia Lee Jong-sup, who is accused of rigging the military probe.

The ministry said the “appeal to lift the travel ban had a valid reason,” adding it considered Lee’s recent attendance at his questioning and pledges to cooperate with investigative authorities.

Earlier in the same day, Lee postponed his departure to Sydney, initially scheduled for Friday. He is currently rescheduling the date of taking office at the Korean Embassy in Australia.

The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) has been investigating Lee on allegations of power abuse over a military probe. The CIO summoned Lee on Thursday and questioned him for four hours as a suspect of power abuse.

The investigative authority grounded a total of six key suspects – including Lee – in January, approximately two months earlier than Lee’s appointment.

Lee filed a complaint to withdraw the travel ban on Tuesday, a day after his appointment on Monday.

Justice Minister Park Sung-jae earlier on Friday said that the ministry would handle the case based on its own standards.

“The Justice Ministry views that Lee will be heading to Australia to attend his public duties, not for personal business or fleeing,” Park told reporters on Friday morning while heading to his office.

The Center for Military Human Rights urged to put Lee under arrest for investigation on the same day.

“A criminal suspect will begin his exile and get paid by people’s taxes under the presidential protection,” Kim Hyung-nam, acting director of the center said during its press conference on Friday.

Lee was accused of allegedly trying to block the Marine Corps’ initial inquiry into death of Lance Corporal Chae Su-geun, who died last July while searching for missing people amid heavy rains and flooding that swept Korea at the time. He reportedly prevented the case from being referred to the police.

He was reportedly set to depart Sunday evening.

BY LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]