The Seoul Administrative Court's Administrative Division 1 (Presiding Judge Wi Ji-hyun) dismissed on the 4th (Korean time) the application for suspension of the execution of the departure ban imposed on former International Criminal Justice Ambassador Moss T. (Korean name: Dan Hyun-myung), who is accused of defamation of President Lee Jae-myung, filed against the Korean Ministry of Justice.

Given that there has never been a case where Korean judicial authorities investigated, arrested, or prosecuted an individual who served as an ambassador for the U.S. government, the departure ban and high-intensity investigation against former Ambassador T. are highly unusual.

Immediately, Reza LaRu Kirkland, a U.S. military historian and conservative commentator, posted an emotional message on X (formerly Twitter): "Are you just going to let the communists in Korea kidnap Americans, President Trump (@POTUS)? At this point, they should be shot!!!!"

Kirkland, widely known among Korean War veterans by the nickname "WARCHICK," authored the book "Forgotten Warriors: Twice in One Day," based on the documentary film "Cease Fire" (1953), which depicts the battle where a friend of her father, a Korean War veteran, was killed.

Former Ambassador T., who was originally invited to South Korea as part of an election integrity investigation team for the local elections held in Korea on June 3rd, was scheduled to depart Korea and return home on the 4th, the day after the election. However, he was forced to cancel his return schedule due to the Korean police's request for a departure ban and the court's approval.

The court ruled that if Professor T. departs, it could have a significant impact on public welfare, including investigations, and that the proper exercise of national penal power is more important.

Immediately after the court's dismissal decision, former Ambassador Moss T.'s legal team, disagreeing with the decision, filed an immediate appeal with the court. The legal team exposed that the judge had left work without issuing any written decision, even after the court's self-stated deadline for the decision had passed, stating, "This cannot be evaluated as merely a delay in administrative work; it is essentially an abandonment of the duties assigned as a judge."

The legal team stated, "For the protection of Ambassador Moss T.'s rights, we will pursue all possible civil, criminal, and administrative responsibilities to the fullest extent, including criminal charges related to Judge Wi Ji-hyun's dereliction of duty."

The fact that South Korea, a strategic ally of the United States, is enforcing a departure ban on a U.S. ambassador highlights the seriousness of the situation, as it could provoke diplomatic conflict.

Recently, the Wall Street Journal published an op-ed arguing that South Korea is rapidly turning sharply anti-American.

The authors, Nicholas Eberstadt, a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), and Lawrence Peck, an advisor to the North Korea Freedom Coalition, cited incidents such as the leak of information related to U.S. military bases, searches and seizures by South Korean authorities of U.S. military base offices, and strong measures against American companies as evidence that the Seoul government is hostile to U.S. interests.

During a hearing of the House Human Rights Committee on April 28th (Tuesday), Dr. Tara O. of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation pointed out that South Korea is losing freedom of speech and religion under the Lee Jae-myung administration and is becoming a satellite state of the Chinese Communist Party. She cited examples such as police crackdowns on Free University rallies, the Democratic Party's operation of "Democratic Police Stations," the introduction of gag bills, and the imprisonment of pastors Son Hyun-bo and Jeon Kwang-hoon.

At this hearing, U.S. Representative Christopher Smith (Republican, New Jersey) stated, "Thank you for warning us about the tremendous danger that is threatening all of us right now, concerning the rapid transformation of the Republic of Korea into the ‘People's Republic of South Korea.’ I believe that all of us, including the White House, have expressed concerns, but this issue must move to the next stage. There is no doubt about that."

These events are now escalating with the legal persecution of former Ambassador Moss T. in South Korea.

Former Ambassador T. is a distinguished law professor and an expert in international law and human rights. Although he has publicly criticized the current South Korean government, his side argues that the South Korean government is treating him not as a critic but as an enemy of the state.

Former Ambassador T. pointed out that President Lee Jae-myung was elected president while under criminal investigation for allegedly secretly remitting over $8 million to North Korea, and that his investigation was suspended due to presidential immunity during his tenure. He also noted that the Democratic Party is led by individuals with backgrounds in student activism who occupied and threw Molotov cocktails at the U.S. Cultural Center during their university days, and that these individuals, who hold nearly two-thirds of the seats in the National Assembly, are pushing for legislation to nullify the charges against Lee Jae-myung.

Moss T. has been critical of this erosion of democratic norms and has also warned of the close ties between the Democratic Party and the Chinese Communist Party. He has continuously pointed out various irregularities in South Korean elections since leading an international election monitoring team during South Korea's snap presidential election last year.

He stated, "South Korean elections are as corrupt as Venezuelan elections. What we are dealing with is not a government, but an anti-American criminal organization."

Former Ambassador T. analyzes the current South Korean regime as a "communist/socialist" government in its "early stages, still disguised as a 'democracy movement'."

He said, "The current regime in Seoul still wants to be treated as an ally of the United States and hopes to gain preferential treatment in trade with the U.S. They fear that Moss T.'s criticisms will undermine their status as a trade and security ally."

Former Ambassador T. further emphasized that U.S. administration and congressional policymakers must recognize that South Korea, a U.S. ally, is no longer governed by forces aligned with the U.S.

The Democratic Party has maintained close ties with North Korea and the Chinese Communist Party for decades, and it was the only party among U.S. allies to fly its party flag next to the Red Five-Star Flag at the Chinese Communist Party's 100th-anniversary ceremony.

The U.S. State Department and the Department of Defense, valuing the strategic alliance with South Korea, are making efforts to implement the commitments made by President Trump and Lee Jae-myung in their bilateral talks "from the perspective of pragmatic diplomacy."

However, former Ambassador T. pointed out, "President Lee Jae-myung promised President Trump last year to invest $350 billion in the U.S. economy to avoid Trump's tariffs. But upon returning home, he effectively denied that promise domestically. Subsequently, the South Korean government has delayed the implementation of the investment. In fact, no action was taken until the U.S. administration initiated an investigation under Section 301 of the Trade Act this year."

The joint South Korea-U.S. election integrity investigation team, in which former Ambassador T. participated, revealed that the local elections held on June 3rd were marred by various fraudulent activities. Before the vote counting was even completed, citizens gathered in front of the National Election Commission headquarters, in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, and at the second polling station in Jamsil, Seoul, chanting slogans such as "Cancel the election, fraudulent election, hold a re-election, dissolve the Election Commission."

Amidst social unrest, the persecution of former Ambassador T. by state power will undeniably inflict irreparable damage on the ROK-U.S. alliance.

It remains to be seen what actions the executive branch, including the State Department, will take immediately to facilitate former Ambassador T.'s return.

By Sung Ku Hong, Chief Reporter, NNP USA / Special Contribution, NNP info@newsandpost.com