South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol appointed former defense minister Lee Jong-sup as the country’s ambassador to Australia on March 4, despite Lee being banned from overseas travel due to allegations of abuse of power related to the death of a marine, Corporal Chae Su-geun, in July last year. The opposition Democratic Party (DP) criticized the move, claiming that appointing Lee as ambassador amounted to an attempt by the president to help a suspected accomplice escape overseas.

The South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued Lee a diplomatic passporton Thursday as the new top envoy to Australia, which the