Ex-defense chief departs for Australia to take office as ambassador
Ex-Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup attends a Cabinet meeting at the Presidential Office in Seoul on Sept. 12, 2023. Yonhap
Former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup departed for Australia on Sunday to take office as Seoul's top envoy to Canberra, two days after the justice ministry lifted his travel ban over his alleged involvement in a military probe into a young Marine's death.
In January, the state anti-corruption agency banned Lee from leaving the country over allegations that he exerted influence to hold off the findings of the military probe into the death of the Marine during a search operation for victims of downpours last July.
The exit ban was made public after Lee's appointment to the post last Monday. Lee filed an appeal against the ban the next day, with the justice ministry's travel ban deliberation committee deciding to lift it last Friday.
The committee took into consideration that the exit ban has been extended several times without much inquiry, and Lee recently underwent questioning and promised cooperation with investigators, according to the ministry.
Lee underwent questioning by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials over the allegations Thursday.
On Sunday, Lee was confirmed to have departed at 7:51 p.m. on board a Korean Air flight headed toward Brisbane at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul.
Politicians from the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea hold a press conference denouncing Ambassador-designate Lee Jong-sup's departure to Australia at Incheon International Airport on Sunday. Yonhap
The Democratic Party (DP) accused Lee's departure as being an "obstruction of investigation." Party members held a protest at Incheon International Airport and criticized the former minister's exit as a "concealment of crime."
"This is clearly obstruction of justice, using national institutions to help the main suspect escape overseas," DP floor leader Rep. Hong Ik-pyo said at the airport.
The ruling People Power Party defended the appointment, arguing that Lee serving in the post would help "deepen and expand cooperation between South Korea and Australia in various fields." (Yonhap)