Former U.S. Ambassador Morse Tan barred from grandmother's funeral in South Korea

Former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice Morse Tan remains under an exit ban in South Korea, preventing him from attending his 103-year-old grandmother's funeral in the United States. On October 8, the Seoul Administrative Court denied his request to lift the travel restriction, citing the public interest regarding his ongoing defamation trial. Tan has been subject to travel bans since May following his observations of South Korean elections.

Tan faces charges related to comments he made at a 2025 event in Washington, D.C., regarding South Korean President Lee Jae Myung. While awaiting his first trial hearing, Tan delivered an emotional eulogy at Unjeong Chamjon Church in Paju, South Korea. During the service, he tearfully honored his grandmother, describing her as a woman of deep faith. He attributed the spiritual foundation of his family to her life of prayer, stating that her devotion bore generational fruit. Tan continues to maintain that his legal situation represents a broader violation of his rights as a U.S. citizen.