A special counsel team announced on Thursday that it has indicted former President Yoon Suk Yeol and five other ex-senior officials over former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup's alleged flight to Australia last year. Lee faced investigation for interfering in a military probe into a Marine's death in 2023. Yoon is accused of ordering Lee's appointment as ambassador to Australia to help him evade the probe.
The special counsel team led by Lee Myeong-hyeon indicted former President Yoon Suk Yeol on November 27, 2025, over former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup's alleged flight to Australia. Lee is suspected of fleeing in March 2024 while under investigation for interfering in a military probe into a Marine's death in 2023.
Yoon faces charges of assisting Lee's departure, abuse of power, and violating the State Public Officials Act. He is accused of ordering Lee's appointment as ambassador to Australia in November 2023 to help him evade the investigation. The team believes this was intended to obstruct the Marine death probe and shield Yoon himself.
Also indicted are former National Security Adviser Cho Tae-yong, former First Vice Foreign Minister Chang Ho-jin, former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae, and two other ex-officials. They are suspected of coordinating the appointment and departure through the presidential Office of National Security, the foreign ministry, and the justice ministry.
Four days after the appointment, a travel ban on Lee was lifted, allowing him to leave for Australia shortly thereafter. He returned home 11 days later amid growing controversy. This indictment follows the team's charges against Yoon last week for pressuring the Marine death investigation. Yoon is already on trial for his brief imposition of martial law on December 3.
The case highlights allegations of power abuse in the Yoon administration and could have significant political repercussions.
