A special counsel's indictment shows former President Yoon Suk Yeol rushed to appoint former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup as ambassador to Australia in 2023 to evade a probe into a Marine's death. Already on trial for a botched martial law attempt, Yoon was further indicted this week for aiding Lee's escape from the investigation into negligence by Marine leaders. The special counsel believes Yoon acted to protect Lee and avoid his own implication in the case.
In September 2023, amid growing controversy over the death of Marine Cpl. Chae Su-geun, former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup offered to resign, prompting former President Yoon Suk Yeol to discuss an ambassadorial post with national security adviser Cho Tae-yong. When Cho suggested the ambassadorship to Australia, Yoon raised the idea of considering Lee for an envoy position during a meeting with former ministers. Two months later, in November, Yoon explicitly instructed Cho to arrange the appointment.
Cho then directed foreign ministry officials to replace the Australian ambassador, whose term had more than two years remaining, leading to Lee's appointment in March 2024. The indictment states that Yoon's orders also resulted in the replacement of the Moroccan ambassador to make Lee's posting appear as part of a routine reshuffle. The justice ministry was involved, with former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae allegedly ordering the immigration agency to lift the travel ban on Lee, who was a key figure in the Marine death investigation and legally subject to restrictions.
Special counsel Lee Myeong-hyeon's team believes Yoon went to these lengths to help Lee escape the military probe to avoid his own implication. The investigation into Cpl. Chae's death identified eight suspects, including former Marine Corps 1st Division commander Lim Seong-geun, for occupational negligence resulting in death. Lee had initially approved the report but later ordered it not referred to police after Yoon "burst into rage" upon briefing. On Thursday, the special counsel indicted Yoon and five other former senior officials, including Cho, Park, and former First Vice Foreign Minister Chang Ho-jin, for their roles in aiding Lee's alleged flight.