Supreme Council on the 11th, Lee Jae-myung Absent
Gominjeong: "Prosecutor's Political Investigation and Humiliating Probe Ahead of Life-Threatening Hunger Strike"
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, who entered the 12th day of his hunger strike, experienced a rapid deterioration in health and missed a public party schedule for the first time on the 11th. In response, the Democratic Party leadership strongly criticized the government and ruling party's inhumane attitude and excessive prosecution investigation toward the opposition leader's hunger strike as the largest party.
At the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly main building that morning, Supreme Council Member Jeong Cheong-rae said, "Leader Lee could not attend the official meeting today," adding, "I am deeply worried about Leader Lee's health."
Jeong said, "During the hunger strikes of YS (former President Kim Young-sam) or DJ (former President Kim Dae-jung), when opposition leaders went on hunger strikes, the government and ruling party would at least pretend to be concerned, and sometimes dramatic compromises were reached," criticizing, "I have never seen a regime that mocks and belittles the opposition leader's hunger strike in such an inhumane way."
He added, "I was even asked by a member of the People Power Party, 'Is he really on a hunger strike?'" and criticized, "They even doubt the credibility of the hunger strike, mocking, blaming, and attacking him."
He continued, "If you consume even a little food during a hunger strike, the appetite becomes too strong to continue. Stop making ignorant remarks without having experienced a hunger strike," explaining, "Although it varies by person, initially the body burns fat, after a week it burns protein, and after two weeks it burns organs. It is very dangerous."
Supreme Council Member Ko Min-jung also said at the meeting, "Leader Lee's hunger strike is on its 12th day today. It is heartbreaking even to watch from the side," and criticized, "Leader Lee voluntarily visited the prosecution office on the 10th day of his hunger strike, but the prosecution again pulled out the card of re-summoning. The prosecution is consistently conducting political and humiliating investigations in the face of a life-threatening hunger strike."
Ko emphasized, "The prosecution's complete disregard for this desperate, life-threatening situation proves that the prosecution's investigation of Leader Lee is political," adding, "The prosecution must exercise its authority lawfully and legitimately within the legal framework during the investigation and has the duty to protect the rights of the suspect. Abusing authority while ignoring even the minimum rights of the suspect is an unconstitutional act that infringes on the rights of the people."
Leader Lee did not attend the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly that morning. This was the first time he missed a public party schedule since starting his indefinite hunger strike. After appearing at the prosecution on the 9th and undergoing an 11-hour investigation regarding the 'Ssangbangwool North Korea remittance suspicion,' Leader Lee had been attending party schedules until the previous day. His health rapidly deteriorated as the hunger strike prolonged, and his physical strength appears to have sharply declined after the long prosecution investigation.
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