Ambassador to Australia Lee Jong-sup was set to return home Thursday amid criticism of his appointment and departure when he is subject to an investigation into a Marine’s death last year.

Lee, a former defense minister, was under a travel ban at the time of his appointment over his alleged interference in a military probe into the death of a corporal, who died last year while on a search mission amid heavy rains.

The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) and other critics have charged that Lee’s appointment amounts to helping a suspect flee overseas and demanded President Yoon Suk Yeol withdraw the appointment and bring Lee home to face the investigation.

The issue has become one of the hottest topics in the run-up to the April 10 parliamentary elections.

The foreign ministry said Lee is scheduled to arrive at Incheon International Airport at 9:50 a.m.

His return comes 11 days after he left for Canberra to take up the post.

The ministry said earlier that Lee will attend a meeting of chiefs of diplomati
c missions on defense cooperation.

His return comes earlier than expected, as he had previously been expected to come back for an annual conference of South Korea’s overseas diplomatic mission chiefs scheduled for late next month.

Source: Yonhap News Agency