Presidential office rejects calls for return of Korean envoy to Australia

Diplomacy

Published: 18 Mar. 2024, 16:25

Presidential office rejects calls for return of Korean envoy to Australia

Members of the splinter New Future Party call for former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup to be recalled as new ambassador to Australia amid an ongoing investigation into a Marine's death last year as they hold a protest in front of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi, on Monday. [YONHAP]

The presidential office said Monday it would be "inappropriate" for Lee Jong-sup to return from Canberra, standing by its controversial appointment of the former defense minister as the new ambassador to Australia.

This comes after conservative People Power Party (PPP) interim chief Han Dong-hoon on Sunday called for Lee's "immediate" return to Seoul for an investigation into a Marine's death last year.

The presidential office said in a statement Monday that Lee's appointment as top envoy to Australia "is a fair appointment of the right person taking into consideration security cooperation between South Korea, the United States, Japan and Australia in the Indo-Pacific region, and our large-scale arms exports to Australia."

Lee, who served as President Yoon Suk Yeol's first defense minister from May 2022 to October 2023, was appointed Korea's ambassador to Australia last month and assumed the post in Canberra on March 12.

However, his appointment drew a backlash from liberal lawmakers because Lee had been undergoing a probe by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) when he departed for Australia.

On Sunday, Han told reporters at the PPP headquarters in Yeouido, western Seoul, that he believed that the law authorities should summon Lee and that the ambassador "should return to Korea immediately" for the CIO investigation, a departure from the Yoon government's stance.

He said the issue "isn't worth bickering over and fatiguing people ahead of the general election" next month.

The presidential office on Monday said that after it reviewed the allegations against Lee, it determined "there was no problem at all," noting that the CIO had not summoned the ambassador over the past six months since the accusations were raised.

The office added that Lee will "immediately respond at any time to a subpoena request by the CIO," adding that "it is highly inappropriate for the head of an overseas mission to return home and wait indefinitely without a summons because the CIO is not ready to investigate."

Earlier this month, Lee was greenlit to fly to Australia after the Justice Ministry lifted a travel ban on him despite the CIO probe, a move the liberal Democratic Party (DP) said was tantamount to a suspect fleeing the country.

During his time as defense chief, Lee was accused of abusing power by allegedly exercising undue influence on a military investigation into the death of 21-year-old Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Chae Su-geun, who died after being swept away in a stream during a search for flooding and monsoon rain victims in July last year.

The DP filed complaints against the president and the justice and foreign ministers last week for allowing Lee's departure.

Despite the presidential office's claim that Lee's departure for Australia came with the CIO's consent, the anticorruption watchdog doubled down on Monday and said it never allowed the ambassador to leave the country.

The CIO said in a press statement that it had "no authority to lift a travel ban" and has not granted Lee permission to leave the country in connection with the investigation.

"Our consistent position is that it is difficult to confirm the status of the investigation, but there are some factual differences in the presidential office's position," the CIO said, immediately responding to the earlier statement.

The CIO said it has "no authority to lift a travel ban" and has not allowed anyone involved in the investigation to leave the country.

It added that it had submitted its opinion to the Justice Ministry that Lee's travel ban should be retained.

Australian broadcaster SBS reported Wednesday that some 20 members of the Korean community gathered in front of the Korean Embassy in Canberra to protest Lee's appointment, which has sparked mixed reactions in the country.

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]