DP chief leaves hospital to campaign in by-election in Seoul

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DP chief leaves hospital to campaign in by-election in Seoul

Published: 09 Oct. 2023, 18:15 Updated: 09 Oct. 2023, 19:01

SARAH KIM
kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr

Democratic Party Chairman Lee Jae-myung, center, waves to supporters after being discharged from Green Hospital in Jungnang District, northern Seoul, Monday afternoon, where he was hospitalized for deteriorated health while undergoing a hunger strike. He will participate in the DP’s efforts to campaign for its candidate for the head of Gangseo District Office ahead of Wednesday’s by-election. [NEWS1]

Democratic Party Chairman Lee Jae-myung was discharged from the hospital Monday afternoon, 21 days after he was hospitalized during a hunger strike, to participate in last-minute campaigning for a Seoul district office by-election this week.

Lee began participating in his party's campaign efforts for the by-election for the head of western Seoul's Gangseo District Office set for Wednesday, closely monitored by political observers as a test bed to gauge voter sentiment in the metropolitan area ahead of the general elections next year.

Lee began a hunger strike on Aug. 31 to protest the policies of the Yoon Suk Yeol government and demand reforms. He was transferred to Green Hospital in northern Seoul on Sept. 18 as his health deteriorated.

The DP chief continued fasting at the hospital before ending his 24-day hunger strike on Sept. 23.

It was the longest hunger strike by a leader of the opposition party since Kim Young-sam, then head of the New Democratic Party, held a 23-day hunger strike in 1983.

Lee was spotted walking with the support of a cane and waving to his supporters waiting in front of the hospital before taking off in a car Monday afternoon.

The two-day early voting for the Gangseo District Office head ended Saturday with a record turnout of 22.64 percent.

According to the National Election Commission (NEC), there was a turnout of 113,313 out of 500,603 eligible voters in the district who cast their ballots in advance.

This marked the highest turnout for the country's by-elections and local elections. It compares to the previous record for by-elections set in 2021 with a 20.54 percent turnout and 20.62 percent for local elections in June 2022.

The Gangseo chief position is up for grabs after Kim Tae-woo, the district's former chief, was removed from office in May after the Supreme Court handed him a suspended prison sentence on charges of leaking official secrets gained while working for a special inspection team under the previous Moon Jae-in Blue House.

Kim, a former prosecution investigator, was convicted of leaking classified secrets to the media while he was assigned to a special investigative team under the chief presidential secretary for civil affairs from December 2018 to February 2019.

He was elected as Gangseo District chief in local government elections in June 2022.

Kim has called himself a whistle-blower, working for the public good.

President Yoon Suk Yeol granted a presidential pardon for Kim in August as a part of his Liberation Day amnesty, reinstating Kim's right to run for office.

In turn, the governing People Power Party (PPP) named Kim as its candidate for the Gangseo chief post last month to run against the DP's candidate, Jin Kyo-hoon, a former National Police Agency deputy commissioner general.

Six candidates are running in the by-election, essentially a faceoff between Kim and Jin.

Democratic Party (DP) Chairman Lee Jae-myung, right, takes part in campaigning at Gangseo District, western Seoul, Monday for Jin Kyo-hoon, left, DP's candidate for the by-election on Wednesday to select the new head of Gangseo District Office. Jin is up against the People Power Party’s candidate Kim Tae-woo. [YONHAP]

The rival parties held intensive campaign rallies throughout the extended Chuseok and Hangul Day holidays.

Before the advance voting period, Lee uploaded a video online urging high turnout in early voting, saying the by-election is "the starting point of stopping the [Yoon] administration's tyranny and opening a new future for Gangseo."

On Sept. 21, the DP-controlled National Assembly passed a motion waiving Lee's immunity to arrest, the first time for the parliament to consent to arrest the leader of a major political party. This reflects a growing schism within the party between those supportive of Lee and those not ahead of next April's general election.

Lee has been accused of involvement in land development scandals in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, during his time as the city's mayor, and underwear company Ssangbangwool's illegal cash remittance to North Korea during his time as Gyeonggi's governor.

Lee initially intended to participate in the DP candidate's campaign on Sunday, but medical staff advised him against it.

Despite his hospital release, Lee is expected to continue undergoing treatment and recovery at home for the time being, according to the DP, before being able to resume his complete duties.

PPP Chairman Kim Gi-hyeon expressed hopes that Lee would "recover his health quickly so that the opposing party can function normally."

Kim told reporters amid campaign efforts in Gangseo on Monday that he had asked to meet Lee but that "he wouldn't meet with me and keeps running away."

Rep. Yoo Sang-bum, a PPP spokesman, said Monday that Lee's campaign activities "appear to be nothing more than a shallow trick to exert his influence by stepping forward one last time to try to win the by-election."

He added, "I don't think starting an election campaign now will impact the residents' decision-making."

Gangseo voters who didn't cast their ballots in advance can vote from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at designated polling booths on Wednesday, the day of the by-election.

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]