Main opposition Democratic Party(DP) leader Lee Jae-myung on Wednesday accused the top office of falsifying information about the South Korean Ambassador to Australia Lee Jong-sup, saying that the envoy was not given the green light to travel overseas by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials(CIO).

Lee said the envoy, who's currently under investigation for alleged interference in a military probe into the death of a Marine, did not get approval from the CIO to travel overseas, despite the top office's statement.

The remarks come amid controversy over the former defense minister's departure for Australia to take on the role as ambassador, which came despite a pending investigation over his alleged interference in a probe into the death of a Marine during a search and rescue operation last year.

The DP leader said the top office committed a crime by giving false information to the public and that the former defense chief should immediately return to South Korea.

DP's joint election committee chair Lee Hae-chan also called on the Australian envoy to return to Korea, calling him a “fugitive ambassador.”