An open letter urging the rescue of former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice Morse Tan was published in the July 23rd edition (local time) of The Hill, a U.S. congressional newspaper. Pictured is Ambassador Tan during an interview with <Hanmi Ilbo> at his residence last month. The content of this interview has not yet been reported. [Photo by Reporter Heo Gyeom]

The open letter calling for the rescue of Ambassador Morse Tan appeared on page 7 (right) of the July 23rd edition of The Hill. On page 6 (left), news regarding U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson was featured. [Capture of The Hill PDF edition]

An open letter urging the return of former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice Morse H. Tan (Korean name: Dan Hyun-myung) to the United States was published in the July 23rd edition (local time) of The Hill, a U.S. congressional newspaper.

The U.S.-based policy advocacy civic group, "The Coalition to Bring Ambassador Morse Tan Home" (represented by Oh In-hwan; hereinafter "the Coalition"), published the open letter on page 7 of The Hill, calling on U.S. President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the U.S. Embassy in Korea, and members of the U.S. Congress to intervene so that the South Korean government lifts the exit ban on Ambassador Tan and allows his safe return to the U.S.

The open letter was sponsored by key U.S.-based non-profit organizations, including the Korea-U.S. Alliance Foundation USA (KUSAF USA), the America-Korea United Society (AKUS) Washington D.C. Chapter, and News and Post (NNP).

The Coalition is headed by Oh In-hwan, Chairman of the AKUS Washington D.C. Chapter. The Korea-U.S. Alliance Foundation USA is a U.S.-based non-profit distinct from the Korea-U.S. Alliance Foundation in South Korea.

Indicted without detention on July 16… Exit ban extended until August 15

According to domestic media reports, this matter has moved beyond the investigative stage into legal proceedings. Reports on the 22nd (Korea time) revealed that the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office indicted Ambassador Tan without detention on the 16th on charges of defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act and the Criminal Act. The indictment was not immediately publicized and was only confirmed later through media reports.

Additionally, the existing exit ban, which was previously set to expire at the end of July, has been extended until August 15 following the indictment. Concerns over a further extension have become a reality.

As a result, the Coalition views this situation no longer as a temporary restriction on travel, but as a long-term issue tied to ongoing judicial proceedings.

The Coalition argues that if a U.S. citizen and former ambassador-level official is unable to return home for a prolonged period due to political statements, it will inevitably become a significant issue involving freedom of expression, due process, consular protection, and the credibility of the U.S.-ROK alliance.

Front page of the July 23rd edition of The Hill.

Why Ambassador Morse Tan’s case is more than simple defamation

The Coalition believes this case cannot be viewed merely as a private defamation matter. Ambassador Tan is not an ordinary visitor who happened to become entangled in a legal dispute in Korea; he is a former U.S. State Department ambassador-level official who has publicly raised concerns regarding election integrity in Korea to U.S. political circles and the international community.

During the South Korean presidential election on June 3 of last year, Ambassador Tan visited Korea to lead the four-member International Election Monitoring Team (IEMT). Subsequently, he publicly reported and argued that the election was not fair and raised suspicions that Lee Jae-myung was elected through fraudulent means. He has continued activities to inform U.S. political circles and the international community of these issues through press conferences at the National Press Club and presentations at the U.S. Capitol.

In this process, Ambassador Tan made comments regarding suspicions about Lee Jae-myung’s youth, and it is understood that Korean authorities are using these comments as the basis for the defamation charges. The Coalition emphasized, "Rather than focusing on the specific facts of these statements, one must look at the correlation between his activities in raising election integrity issues to the international community and the subsequent exit ban and indictment."

Ambassador Tan also visited Korea during the 6/3 local election period to observe election fairness and stand with citizens demanding clarification on election fraud allegations. Viewed in this context, the Coalition worries that while the exit ban cites defamation as a surface-level justification, it could actually be interpreted as political pressure against a U.S. figure who has been a vocal critic of Korea’s election fairness.

Accordingly, the Coalition stated, "The focus of this open letter in The Hill is not to exacerbate the debate over the veracity of specific remarks, but to ask whether a measure that prevents the return of a former U.S. ambassador-level official based on his raising of election integrity issues and political expression is proportionate and lawful."

The core message of The Hill open letter

"Refute with facts, respond with due process. An exit ban is not the answer."

The open letter published in The Hill captures the core of its campaign with this statement.

It argues that if Korean authorities take issue with Ambassador Tan’s statements, they should respond with facts, records, public refutation, and due process rather than an exit ban.

The English open letter published by the ‘Coalition to Bring Ambassador Morse Tan Home’ in The Hill.

The open letter emphasizes that Ambassador Tan is not someone who has committed violence, espionage, or posed a threat to public safety. This is not a security issue, but a matter of expression, while simultaneously raising serious concerns regarding jurisdiction, freedom of speech, and due process.

Ambassador Tan served as the U.S. State Department’s Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice, working to hold perpetrators accountable for major human rights abuses such as genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. As a Korean-American legal scholar and founding professor of Handong International Law School, he has also maintained deep ties with Korea.

In the open letter, the Coalition emphasized, "His background in raising issues regarding Korean election integrity, the possibility of foreign interference, and political freedom of expression stems from a sense of responsibility for Korean liberal democracy, the ROK-U.S. alliance, and the rule of law, not from hostility toward Korea." It stressed, "If Korean authorities have rebuttals, they should respond with facts, records, and public counter-arguments, not with an exit ban."

Furthermore, it stated, "Some of the problematic remarks were reportedly made by a U.S. citizen within the United States," and warned, "An ally should not restrict a U.S. citizen's return based on political speech made in the U.S. without clear legal grounds and full due process."

The Coalition requested four actions from the U.S. government and Congress in the letter.

First, it urged the U.S. to call on the South Korean government to immediately lift the exit ban on Ambassador Tan and allow him to return to the U.S. freely. Second, it demanded a clear communication to the Korean government that restricting the return of a former U.S. ambassador-level official based on political speech made in the U.S.—which is unrelated to violence or national security—is a serious alliance issue.

Third, it requested that the U.S. urge Korean authorities to respond to controversial public claims with evidence, records, and due process, rather than legal pressure or travel restrictions. Fourth, it asked for advocacy affirming that raising election integrity issues, international election monitoring, and political expression are legitimate democratic activities, not targets for retaliation.

Dr. Oh In-hwan: "They should refute with facts and records"

"A former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large, confirmed by the U.S. Senate, should not be prevented from returning to his home country due to politically sensitive remarks. If Korean authorities disagree with Ambassador Tan’s statements, they should refute them with facts and records. A U.S. citizen should not be pressured through an exit ban for political remarks reportedly made within the United States."

Dr. Oh In-hwan emphasized this, stating, "This appeal is not an attack on the Republic of Korea." He noted, "It is a request to uphold the foundations of the U.S.-ROK alliance: freedom, the rule of law, and mutual trust," adding that "The alliance between the peoples of the U.S. and Korea remains strong."

He further reiterated that "The credibility of the ROK-U.S. alliance should not be undermined by unnecessary and excessive exit bans regarding issues of politically sensitive expression."

The Korean translation of the open letter published by the ‘Coalition to Bring Ambassador Morse Tan Home’ in The Hill.

Separate letter to be delivered directly to Secretary Rubio

In addition to the open letter in The Hill, the Coalition has prepared an official letter addressed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, which will be delivered directly to the Secretary’s office.

The letter contains requests for Secretary Rubio to treat this matter as an urgent diplomatic and consular issue and for the State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Korea to take substantive action to ensure Ambassador Tan’s free return to the U.S.

The Coalition believes this case is fundamentally different from routine incidents where Americans abroad follow local legal procedures.

Because the legal proceedings surrounding his political speech and freedom of expression raise serious concerns regarding jurisdiction, due process, and substantive merits, and because the exit ban has reportedly been extended until August 15, the Coalition argues that U.S. government intervention can no longer be delayed.

The Coalition anticipates that a clear position or diplomatic message from the President, Vice President, or Secretary of State could play a vital role in resolving the situation.

The significance of the full-page ad in The Hill… Emergency measures following broken expectations

The Hill is a leading political and congressional media outlet that focuses on the U.S. Congress, the White House, the federal government, and election and policy issues, primarily in Washington D.C. Owned by Nexstar Media Group, one of the largest local television station owners in the U.S., it is widely read by Washington political circles, congressional staff, policymakers, and lobbyists.

The Coalition stated, "While a single newspaper advertisement does not immediately create policy decisions, the full-page open letter ad in The Hill is significant in that it is a public message aimed directly at the Washington policy community, the Congress, and the administration to raise the issue." It further explained, "This open letter demonstrates that Ambassador Tan’s exit ban is being elevated as an ROK-U.S. alliance issue that the U.S. political and policy community must pay attention to."

The Coalition emphasized, "Now is the time for the U.S. government and Congress to address this issue directly. Ambassador Tan’s case cannot be viewed merely as an individual legal dispute. It is a matter involving freedom of speech, election integrity, international election monitoring, the protection of U.S. citizens, and the credibility of the ROK-U.S. alliance."

☞ Announcement of the Open Letter for the Rescue of Morse Tan in The Hill (July 23) - NNP