Lee Hyo-jin covers the Bank of Korea, the banking industry and broader financial news. Her previous beats include foreign affairs, North Korea and general reporting on Korean society.
Doubts linger over troubled ex-defense minister's suitability as envoy to Australia
Lee Jong-sup, who was defense minister at the time, speaks during a press conference at a naval weapons test site off the west coast of Anheung, South Chungcheong Province, June 1, 2023. Courtesy of Ministry of National Defense
By Lee Hyo-jin
Ambassador-designate Lee Jong-sup departs for Australia after travel ban is lifted
Concerns are mounting over the suitability of former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup as the ambassador to Australia as he departed for the country on Sunday. His appointment is facing scrutiny because it was made while he was under a travel ban during the personnel vetting process.
Critics argue that assigning the troubled former minister to the role could be a diplomatic misstep in bilateral relations with Australia. This is especially concerning as Korea is actively strengthening ties with Australia in regional security and the arms industry.
Lee, who was officially appointed as ambassador on March 4, had been under investigation by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) as one of the suspects involved in a controversial military probe into the death of a young marine last year. He had been subject to an overseas travel ban since January in line with the investigation. The ban was lifted on Friday.
"Appointing an individual who is under investigation to an envoy post could lead to confusion and awkwardness for the host nation," said a former diplomat who previously served as an ambassador.
He also expressed skepticism regarding Lee's qualifications as an ambassador, particularly due to the retired Army general's military background.
"Australia is a key partner nation in Korea's Indo-Pacific Strategy, likely the second-most important country after Japan in that aspect. It's quite a challenging post. Diplomats with two or three decades of experience should serve in such a prominent role," he said.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Australia recently gave its diplomatic consent, known as "agrement," to Lee's appointment. Additionally, his diplomatic passport has been issued in accordance with related protocols.
Another former ambassador speculated that Australia may not have been clearly aware of the severity of Lee's ongoing probe before granting consent.
"Background checks for agrement are typically conducted through the embassy of the appointing country. Although it varies by case, some nations may not scrutinize as rigorously as one would expect. Friendly nations tend to respect the host country's appointment decisions," he said.
Lee was initially set to depart for Sydney on Friday evening, just four days after his appointment on March 4.
However, he delayed the trip on Friday morning amid widespread scrutiny that he was still under the travel ban imposed by the immigration office in January due to the CIO's investigation into allegations of interfering in an internal Marine Corps investigation into the death of a young Marine named Chae Su-geun.
Chae died during a search and rescue operation in the monsoon season of July 2023. Lee, who was the defense minister at the time, faced accusations of attempting to interfere with the military's internal investigation before the case was transferred to the police.
The justice ministry lifted the travel ban on Lee on Friday afternoon, saying that he has promised to actively cooperate with the ongoing CIO investigation. Subsequently, on Sunday evening, he boarded a flight to Brisbane.
Lee Jong-sup, right, who was defense minister at the time, shakes hands with his Australian counterpart Richard Marles, June 12, 2022, during the latter's visit to Seoul. Courtesy of Ministry of National Defense
The presidential office stated that it did not have knowledge of Lee's travel ban during the vetting process.
"Whether it's a travel ban or any other matter, there is no way for us to know the details of the CIO's investigation. Moreover, it is against the law for the president to request related information," a presidential official told reporters, Thursday.
The foreign ministry also said that it was unaware of the travel ban, as it pertained to confidential probe information. Additionally, the ministry affirmed that it had not received any protests from Australia regarding the appointment of the new envoy.
"Australia values our important relationship with the ROK and looks forward to working with Ambassador Lee in his new role," the Australian Embassy in Seoul said, Friday, in an email response to The Korea Times' inquiry about the appointment.
According to diplomatic sources, the foreign ministry played a limited role in appointing Lee, as he was designated under a so-called special envoy system. This system permits the government to appoint non-career diplomats, including politicians and military officials, to ambassadorial posts, primarily driven by political considerations.
In such cases, the assignment and personnel vetting process are mainly handled by the presidential office and the human resources team under the justice ministry.