South Korean Court Upholds Travel Ban on Ex‑US Diplomat Moss Tan

The Seoul Administrative Court rejected Moss Tan’s request to lift the extension of his travel‑ban order, keeping the restriction in place until 15 May. The court found that, given the risk of him evading the investigation, the public interest in preserving the state’s authority to secure testimony outweighed his personal inconvenience.

Tan, a Korean‑American former U.S. International Criminal Law envoy, was charged with defaming President Lee Jae‑myung. He has faced three successive travel‑ban orders since May, and his legal team said the rulings damage the rule of law. Tan’s representatives announced they will appeal the decision, while the first criminal hearing on the defamation charge is scheduled for 11 September.