Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has assured that new Ambassador to Australia Lee Jong-sup will return home whenever it is necessary for the investigation he has been under with regard to the death of a young Marine last year.

The remark came amid a wave of criticism that Lee, a former defense minister, was appointed ambassador and was allowed to leave the country even though he has been under investigation over allegations he exercised undue influence over the military’s investigation into the Marine’s death.

Critics have alleged that Lee’s appointment amounts to helping a suspect flee overseas.

“Public officials, such as ambassadors, have always cooperated with judicial processes, and (Lee) will do so to ensure there is no disruption in the proceedings,” Han said during a meeting with the press Tuesday.

“There can’t be such a thing as a public official under investigation not coming back just because he is out of the country as an ambassador,” he said. “Public servants are supposed to always come back and u
ndergo investigation if it is necessary.”

Highlighting Australia’s significance in terms of security and defense, Han noted that it would be diplomatically inappropriate not to appoint a new ambassador, especially since the tenure of his predecessor expired at the end of last year.

The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) has been probing allegations that Lee used his influence to delay the findings of an internal investigation by the Marines into the death of Cpl. Chae Su-geun, who died in July last year during a search mission amid heavy rain.

The presidential office has said that it was unaware of the investigation and the exit ban before appointing Lee as the envoy.

Han also mentioned the possibility that Lee might not have been aware of the exit ban, as the CIO had not summoned him for questioning in the past six months.

Source: Yonhap News Agency