Nam Hyun-woo has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2013, mostly covering business and politics. He currently belongs to the Business Desk where he covers topics such as emerging tech, AI, ICT and Korea's chaebol community. Prior to joining the team, he was the paper's correspondent for the presidential office of Korea during the Yoon Suk Yeol and Moon Jae-in administrations.
Yoon under fire for appointing of ex-defense minister as envoy
Then-Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-sup, left, speaks to President Yoon Suk Yeol during a ceremony marking the 75th Armed Forces Day at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, Sept. 26, 2023. Courtesy of presidential office
By Nam Hyun-woo
Opposition bloc slames president for hiding Marine's death case
President Yoon Suk Yeol's appointment of former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup as ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Australia is drawing flak as Lee is under investigation for allegedly influencing probes into the death of a Marine during a search-and-rescue operation amid heavy flooding across the country.
Opposition parties are denouncing Yoon, arguing that he is "evacuating a criminal suspect to a foreign country" in an attempt to obstruct the truth-finding efforts regarding the Marine's death.
Main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) floor leader Rep. Hong Ihk-pyo said Tuesday the appointment is a "shameful act" and "aimed at interrupting the ongoing probes on the illegalities of the administration."
"It is also a serious diplomatic discourtesy to name a person who resigned in disgrace as an ambassador of a major partner country, damaging Korea's national status," Hong said. "The prosecution and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) should impose a travel ban on Lee, and we will deliver our opinion to the Australian government."
On Monday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs named Lee as Korea's new ambassador to Australia, replacing Kim Wan-joong.
Lee spent most of his career in the military, serving as commander of the VII Maneuver Corps. Known as a close associate of Yoon, he served as the defense minister from May 2022 to October 2023. He resigned just before the DPK could pass a motion to impeach him, and since then, he has been under investigation by the CIO after the DPK filed a complaint against him.
The mother of the late Corporal Chae Su-geun touches her son's photo on a memorial altar at the 1st Marine Division in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, July 20, 2023. Yonhap
Lee has been facing criticism over the death of Lance Corporal Chae Su-geun, a 20-year-old Marine who died in July when he was swept away by a swift current while searching for residents who had gone missing amid flooding.
Opposition lawmakers have been alleging that the minister used his influence to stymie the Marine Corps' initial probe into Chae's death and attempted to prevent the investigation from being transferred to the police.
"It is the same as President Yoon, who is at the top of the suspects over Chae's death, evacuating a key criminal suspect to a foreign country. It is the president's abuse of his rights for self-protection," the minor opposition Saemirae Party said in a statement.
In addition to questions surrounding Chae's death, Lee's appointment raised doubts due to his lack of diplomatic career background, aside from holding a doctoral degree in diplomatic security from Tennessee State University. Additionally, questions were raised regarding protocol appropriateness, as the appointment would position a former minister serving under another minister.
"It is a very unusual case of a former defense minister, who has not been a career diplomat, being appointed as a head of an overseas mission," the Saemirae also said.
The minor opposition Reform Party also criticized the ruling People Power Party for nominating former and current Yoon administration officials allegedly involved in Chae's death as the party's lawmaker candidates to "make it easier to conceal the case."
Former Vice Defense Minister Shin Beom-chul is now running in the general elections.
The foreign ministry refused to comment on the CIO's investigation on Lee but said that Lee was named as the ambassador because he is "expected to play a key role in managing Korea's deepening bilateral relations with Australia in the fields of national security and the defense industry," noting that the two countries have been holding two-plus-two talks involving their foreign and defense ministers.
An official at the CIO told reporters that it is looking into various measures to "keep the investigation intact as planned" but refused to comment if it is considering a travel ban.
"Though he was accused, it needs to be considered that he will be leaving the country for an official mission representing the country," the official said.