The special investigation team is conducting a search and seizure at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building related to allegations of the appointment of former Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-seop as ambassador to Australia on the 6th.
The special investigation team has been searching the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Jongno District, Seoul, since the morning of the same day. It is reported that the special investigation team has secured documents related to former Minister Lee's appointment as ambassador to Australia from the minister's office and the personnel planning office.
The special investigation team has been investigating the allegations surrounding the appointment of former Minister Lee as ambassador to Australia. Former Minister Lee was appointed as ambassador to Australia last year while being a suspect in the pressure to investigate the death of Corporal Chae Soo-geun, which raised suspicions of 'fleeing'.
At that time, the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials had placed a travel ban on former Minister Lee. However, on March 4th of last year, during the process of being appointed as ambassador to Australia and departing, the Ministry of Justice accepted an objection, lifting the travel ban.
Former Minister Lee immediately departed and took office as ambassador to Australia, returning just 11 days later, and resigned on March 25th, less than a month after his appointment.
Previously, the special investigation team searched the homes of former Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul, former presidential special adviser on diplomatic and security matters Jang Ho-jin, and former Minister of Justice Park Sung-jae on the 4th, and the day before, searched the Ministry of Justice building in Gwacheon.