A special counsel team investigating alleged intervention by the Yoon Suk Yeol government in a military inquiry into the death of a Marine corporal in 2023 is now looking into former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup’s appointment as ambassador to Australia.

At a press briefing on Monday, assistant counselor Choung Min-young said former President Yoon appointed Lee as ambassador on March 4, 2024, even though Lee was under a travel ban on suspicion of abusing his authority in the same case. 

The assistant counselor said the travel ban was lifted to enable Lee’s appointment despite objections from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, which led to a complaint being filed against the former president with the anti-corruption agency accusing him of helping a criminal suspect escape.

Choung said the special team has since taken over the case.

The investigators are seeking to determine whether any laws were broken in the course of Lee’s appointment, his departure to and return from Australia, and his subsequent resignation, all of which happened in less than a month.

They have questioned officials from the foreign and defense ministries as witnesses.

They have also raided locations linked to former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae, former Korea Immigration Service Commissioner Lee Jae-yoo and other suspects in the case.