"Jeon Yeo-ok's Liberation Diary~" Jeon Yeo-ok with Stage 4 Colon Cancer Shares Update After Surgery

Former Lawmaker Shares Update on Personal Blog
"Thankful to Everyone Who Wished Me a Speedy Recovery"

Former National Assembly Member Jeon Yeo-ok
[Image source: Captured from Former Member Jeon Yeo-ok's blog]

Former National Assembly member Jeon Yeo-ok, who recently successfully underwent surgery for stage 4 colorectal cancer, expressed her gratitude to those who wished her a speedy recovery and shared an update on her condition, stating that she is "recovering smoothly."

On the 17th, Jeon posted an article titled "Jeon Yeo-ok's Liberation Diary~" on her blog. She began by saying, "Many people have wished me a speedy recovery. I cannot express how grateful I am," and added, "They helped me raise my 'maximum level of courage.'" Jeon described her condition as "I am recovering smoothly. In my case, it is stage 4, where you just receive chemotherapy and have to gradually prepare to go when the medicine sends a 'negative' signal," and expressed her gratitude to her attending physician, saying, "However, my attending doctor tried a new embolization technique and even performed surgery this time... He is a doctor with profound affection for his patients."

In the middle of her post, Jeon shared a photo of a tree in the apartment where she lives, introducing it as "the best friend in my small apartment." She said, "Last winter, when only bare branches remained, I spoke to it, saying, 'I probably won't see you turn green again, right? That's unfortunate,'" and added, "Seeing those leaves lush again itself is a 'miracle' to me."

Jeon said, "After the surgery, I felt truly light and as if I could fly," and shared, "'What is this? Did Professor Kim, who performed the surgery, cast a spell?' I thought. The surgery was done so neatly that the pain disappeared in less than a day." She continued, "But this morning, I came to a conclusion. I have been liberated from 'thoughts of death,'" confessing, "For the past two and a half years, death was always by my side. How should I finish? How can I responsibly and well conclude my life? I always thought about this. It was the same with relationships with people." She went on, "But now, instead of death, a signal has come asking, 'How shall I live?' I have finally been freed from the 'responsibility of properly concluding death,'" expressing her emotion.

In closing, Jeon said, "Of course, there will be many things I have to endure going forward. As my attending doctor said, 'The road ahead is long,' I am prepared," but added, "However, 'right now, this moment,' I want to fully enjoy the lightness, joy, and hope of life. Even this fluttering in my heart."

Jeon, who served as a National Assembly member for the 17th and 18th sessions representing the Grand National Party, revealed last May through her legal representative that she was diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer and has been battling the disease.