Special Counsel Lee Myeong-hyeon's team raided the foreign ministry Wednesday over allegations that former Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup was abruptly allowed to leave the country last year to avoid an investigation into suspected government interference in the military probe into the death of a Marine in 2023.
The team has been investigating the circumstances surrounding Lee's sudden appointment as the ambassador to Australia on March 4 last year, when he was under probe by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials over his alleged involvement in the external intervention in the Marine death case. At the time of his appointment, Lee was under a travel ban due to the CIO probe but the justice ministry lifted the ban on March 7.
Lee immediately departed for Australia but returned home 11 days later as controversy mounted over his abrupt departure. At that time, critics raised suspicions that former President Yoon Suk Yeol had attempted to have Lee flee overseas by appointing him as the envoy to Australia.
Prosecutors and investigators from the special counsel team reportedly searched the offices of the foreign minister and personnel affairs officials to secure data related to Lee's appointment as the Australian ambassador.
Earlier this week, the team carried out searches and seizures against former Justice Minister Park Sung-jae and former Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul in connection with its probe into the Lee-related allegations. (Yonhap)
