A South Korean diplomat accused of sexually abusing a New Zealand staffer at the embassy in Wellington could face charges.

The allegations date to 2017 - and the unnamed diplomat left the country the following year.

The unnamed diplomat was accused of groping the male staff member multiple times and in 2020 then-Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern raised the case with South Korea’s President.

The victim filed a formal complaint with Seoul’s Metropolitan Police Agency last December - after a complaint with New Zealand Police was not progressed.

South Korea’s prosecutors’ office has now taken up the complaint.

The diplomat left New Zealand for a new post in the Philippines in 2018 before NZ police started an investigation. He is currently working at South Korea’s foreign ministry headquarters, according to the Yonhap News Agency.

The complainant told the news agency: “As a direct result of what happened in my workplace, I am continuing to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Despite the trauma, I am ready to appear as a witness and give evidence in Korean courts and I hope the court process can be completed quickly.”