South Korea-China ties under further strain over envoy’s alleged power abuse, as Yoon fights nepotism claims
- South Korea’s foreign ministry says it is investigating Ambassador Chung Jae-ho, who has denied allegations of both bullying and mistreating embassy staff
- The controversy, which ‘couldn’t come at a worse time’ for tense South Korea-China ties, also affects the country’s image and morale of diplomats, analysts say
South Korea’s ambassador to China, Chung Jae-ho, finds himself under intense scrutiny amid allegations of staff abuse, a development further straining the already tense relations between the two nations, analysts have said.
The controversy not only tarnishes President Yoon Suk-yeol’s pledge to combat nepotism but also casts a shadow over his personal connections, given Chung’s close friendship and confidant status with the president.
Reports suggest that Chung stands accused of both bullying and mistreating embassy staff, prompting one attaché to file formal complaints with Seoul’s foreign ministry, accompanied by audio recordings capturing the ambassador’s alleged abusive conduct.
“When a case of misconduct is detected, it is thoroughly investigated and handled accordingly,” foreign ministry spokesman Lim Soo-suk told journalists last week.
“We will also investigate this case thoroughly under this principle”, he said.
Chung denied the allegations as “unilateral and groundless”.
In a statement released last week, he said he would “restrain myself from further comments” pending the completion of the investigation.