Former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice Morse H. Tan remains barred from leaving South Korea under an exit ban tied to statements he made in the United States, despite repeated appeals that have been denied, according to Tan and supporters.
Tan, a U.S. citizen who served during President Donald Trump’s first administration, has said South Korean authorities are investigating him for alleged defamation after remarks he made last fall at the National Press Club in Washington concerning South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.
Tan has publicly denied wrongdoing and said his comments were protected by the First Amendment because they were made on American soil.
“For a U.S. citizen to say something, and for that to end up resulting in his not being able to go home—back to the U.S.—it’s really a strange situation. … A U.S. citizen speaking on U.S. soil is protected by the U.S. Constitution,” Tan said during a July 9 interview on LindellTV.
The case has drawn attention because it involves an American citizen who says he cannot leave a longtime U.S. ally while prosecutors investigate statements that were delivered in the United States.
According to Tan, courts have extended the restriction after hearings challenging the ban.
“So, at this point, any time they choose, they could choose to seek to arrest me,” Tan said in the LindellTV interview. He said he argued in court that “a South Korean court should not have jurisdiction here.”
During a July 7 interview with The Epoch Times’ South Korea edition, Tan said he was maintaining his previous position and also said he obtained additional supporting material.
“I am maintaining my stance, but I have also obtained new materials as well. ... The materials are extensive, and ... have increased my confidence,” he said.
2 Appeals Denied
Save the Persecuted Christians President Dede Laugesen said she spoke with Tan this week and confirmed that he remained unable to leave South Korea.
“He is still being detained. He has appealed twice, and both appeals have been denied,” Laugesen told The Epoch Times on July 16, adding that Tan had been communicating with senior State Department officials but that no public statement had been issued.
Laugesen said Tan believes “one call from President Trump or JD Vance or Marco Rubio” could resolve the matter.
A State Department spokesperson said via email that the United States is following the case.
“The Trump Administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans,” the spokesperson said. “The [State] Department takes seriously any concerns that U.S. citizens are subject to exit bans without a fair and transparent process to resolve them. Due to privacy and other considerations, we have nothing further to share at this time.”
The White House did not immediately respond to The Epoch Times’ request for comment about the Tan case.
Tan said the investigation stems from remarks delivered publicly in Washington last October. The former ambassador and former law school dean at Liberty University expressed concerns about the state of democracy in the Republic of Korea, its election system, and a government there that is alleged to have cozied up to the People’s Republic of China.
He has characterized the proceedings involving his statements as “lawfare” and said they conflict with protections for free expression under U.S. law and international standards.
The Chosun report said the investigation concerns allegations that Tan publicly repeated accusations about Lee’s past involving an alleged serious crime as an adolescent and time the Korean leader allegedly spent in juvenile detention for the offense.
Tan has continued speaking publicly while remaining in South Korea, including appearances discussing South Korean politics and election integrity. In the July 7 interview, he said he remained under investigation and subject to a departure ban while reiterating that he was standing by his previous statements.
The dispute comes amid broader political polarization in South Korea following recent elections and continuing legal proceedings involving Lee and former conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Laugesen argued that the case raises broader concerns.
“This is intolerable from a U.S. ally to hold a U.S. citizen in their country for protected—constitutionally protected—speech here in the U.S.,” she said.
