US Professor Questioned in South Korea Over Lee Jae Myung Defamation Claim
Quick Look
- Korean American professor Morse Tan was questioned by South Korean police over alleged defamation of President Lee Jae Myung.
- Tan is accused of falsely claiming Lee was involved in murder as a teenager.
- He had previously failed to comply with summons and faced a travel ban until Tuesday.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Morse Tan, a Korean American professor, was questioned by South Korean police regarding his alleged defamation of President Lee Jae Myung. He is accused of falsely claiming Lee was involved in murder as a teenager at a U.S. press conference.
SEOUL, June 26 (Yonhap) -- Morse Tan, a Korean American professor at U.S.-based Liberty University, has been questioned by police over his alleged defamation of President Lee Jae Myung, his lawyers said Friday.
The U.S. professor underwent a two-hour private questioning session Thursday, according to his lawyers.
Tan is accused of falsely claiming at a press conference in the United States last year that Lee was involved in murder as a teenager and had been sent to a juvenile detention center for the crime.
"We believe further questioning to be highly unlikely," the lawyers said in a notice to the press.
Tan was originally scheduled for questioning Wednesday but demanded a change in schedule, citing concerns of media exposure.
After entering the country on May 28 to observe the June 3 local elections, Tan had failed to comply with earlier police summons.
Consequently, police requested a travel ban on the professor, and the justice ministry earlier barred him from leaving the country until Tuesday.
Open Questions
- What will be the outcome of the police investigation?
- Will formal charges be filed against Tan?
- Will Tan be allowed to leave South Korea after Tuesday?
