Ambassador steps down in wake of pre-election controversy

The country’s ambassador to Australia has resigned, Seoul’s foreign ministry said yesterday, after his appointment while under investigation by corruption authorities triggered public outcry just weeks before a general election.

Before being named to the post, Lee Jong-sup had been banned from traveling while South Korea’s Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) probed allegations he interfered with an enquiry into the death of a marine last year, while he was the country’s defence minister.

Seoul’s foreign ministry said yesterday that it had “decided to accept his resignation”, without giving further details.

The 20-year-old marine died after being swept away while doing relief work during major flooding, with some reports saying he was never given a life jacket by authorities.

The CIO is looking into whether Lee, as defence chief, interfered with the probe into the marine’s death. he has denied any wrongdoing and vowed to cooperate.

Lee was appointed ambassador to Australia by President Yoon Sukyeol and left for Canberra on March 10, triggering public outcry.

he returned to Seoul last week, officially to attend defence meetings.

The ex-defence chief ’s posting to Australia was seen as an attempt by Seoul to enhance defence collaboration with Canberra, which signed a Us$2.4bil (Rm11.4bil) deal in December with South Korea’s hanwha Aerospace to purchase infantry fighting vehicles.

But it also triggered widespread criticism, including from MPS from Yoon’s party, with the timing seen as unfortunate ahead of the April 10 elections.

According to pollster Realmeter, “controversy over former minister Lee Jong-sup’s appointment” has emerged as a variable in the runup to the vote, making it harder to get his approval ratings up, Yonhap reported.