Ex-defense chief appointed as envoy to Australia could visit Seoul for meeting next month

South Korea’s new ambassador to Australia could visit Seoul next month to attend a meeting, people familiar with the matter said Monday, amid controversy over his alleged influence-peddling case related to the death of a young Marine last year.

Lee Jong-sup, who served as defense minister from 2022 to 2023, left for Australia without receiving the original letter of credence from President Yoon Suk Yeol on Sunday, two days after the justice ministry lifted his travel ban.

A ceremony is usually held at the presidential office to award credentials before a new envoy departs.

A foreign ministry official, however, explained the ceremony was not yet held in Lee’s case as the letter of credence is sent through a diplomatic pouch when only a small number of diplomatic chiefs are appointed due to scheduling constraints.

The ministry is set to send the original letter to Australia soon. If Lee submits a copy of the letter to the Australian foreign ministry, he can carry out most of his diplomatic activities as the ambassador.

He is known to have not submitted the copy yet.

The ceremony of credentials is being considered for when Lee visits Seoul to participate in the meeting of the chiefs of South Korea’s overseas diplomatic missions, likely to take place next month.

Lee has been a subject in the probe of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials in connection with the death of Cpl. Chae Su-geun, who died in July last year while on a search mission amid heavy downpours.

The anti-corruption investigation office has been looking into allegations that Lee exerted influence to hold off the findings of an internal probe by the Marines on Chae’s death.