The special counsel team on the line-of-duty death of Lee Myung-hyun is speeding up its probe into allegations that former Ministry of National Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup fled to Australia, summoning a series of former and current senior officials under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration.
Former Ministry of Foreign Affairs Minister Park Jin appeared at the special counsel's office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, at 10:45 a.m. on the 23rd as a reference witness, was questioned for more than 10 hours, and returned home around 9:15 p.m. After the questioning, he said he "told everything I know," and, regarding whether he was involved in the vetting of former Minister Lee for ambassador to Australia, said, "There was not much overlap in timing. You'll see," suggesting he was distant from the appointment push.
The special counsel team believes the vetting of former Minister Lee, who was appointed ambassador to Australia in March last year, began at the end of 2023, and is said to have checked with former Minister Park whether he received reports or gave instructions at the time.
The special counsel also questioned former Vice Minister of Justice Lee No-gong as a suspect on charges of aiding a fugitive and abuse of power. He is suspected of having sent, via messenger, a form to apply for lifting the travel ban to former Minister Lee in March last year. On his way in, he said, "I have already explained this to the media. I will answer faithfully."
The special counsel is focusing on whether there was involvement from higher-ups, including the presidential office, behind the sudden lifting of former Minister Lee's travel ban. The previous day, it summoned former presidential office public service discipline secretary Lee Si-won as a suspect and pressed him about orders and measures taken during the vetting process for the ambassadorship to Australia.
Following a reference interview of former Minister Lee, the person who fled, on the 17th, the team has rapidly accelerated the probe by consecutively calling in senior figures including former Minister Park and former Vice Minister Lee No-gong. There is also a possibility that former National Security Office chief Jang Ho-jin, former Minister of Justice Park Sung-jae, and former Prosecutor General Sim Woo-jung will be summoned soon.