Ex-President Moon meets hospitalized DP's Lee Jae-myung

Former President Moon Jae-in, left, holds hands with Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, right, at the Wonjin Green Hospital in Myeonmok-dong, Seoul, on Tuesday.[YONHAP]

Former President Moon Jae-in visited Democratic Party (DP) leader Lee Jae-myung, who has been hospitalized since Monday due to complications caused by his hunger strike.

According to DP spokesman Han Min-soo on Tuesday, former President Moon held Lee's hand, who was in a sickbed, for the entire 23 minutes of their meeting.

"When the president [Moon] entered the room, Lee tried to get up," Han said. "But the president asked him not to."

The spokesman mentioned that the former president inquired about Lee's health condition and advised him to stop his hunger strike.

"He told the hospital director that the hospital should advise Lee to end the hunger strike," Han said. "The president said he came to the hospital not only to provide comfort but to persuade Lee, emphasizing that Lee Jae-myung is not alone."

Han stated that in response, Lee conveyed to Moon that he felt like he was falling endlessly and had no choice but to continue the strike as he perceived the world as crumbling.

However, the spokesman did not confirm whether Lee would stop the hunger strike, noting that even on Tuesday, he had refused to consume any food.

Han did not respond to questions regarding any political discussions that may have taken place between Moon and Lee.

Former President Moon was in Seoul for the first time since leaving office to attend a fifth-anniversary event of the Sept. 19 Pyongyang Declaration held in Yeouido, Seoul, later Tuesday.

Lee was hospitalized on Monday morning, initially taken to the emergency room at St. Mary's Hospital in Yeouido. However, an hour later, he was moved to Wonjin Green Hospital in Myeonmok-dong, which is 20 kilometers away. Wonjin Green Hospital is known for its connections to the DP and for treating DP politicians.

On the same day, the prosecutor's office applied for an arrest warrant against Lee for his alleged involvement in a real estate development scandal in Seongnam's Baekhyeon-dong neighborhood during his tenure as the city's mayor, as well as for the illegal wiring of money to North Korea during his time as Gyeonggi governor.

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]