DPK leader Lee Jae-myung urges to end warlike politics after being discharged from hospital

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), was discharged from the hospital on January 10. His first message was about restoring politics. "We need to end this warlike politics that must kill and eliminate opponents," Lee said. The timing of his return to the party is undecided. With the general election about 90 days away, Lee is facing the challenges of overcoming the division within the DPK and of increasing its stagnant approval rating.

Lee's first message after being discharged from the hospital eight days after being attacked was to end the politics of death and restore the politics of mutual benefit.

"I sincerely hope that this incident will be a milestone in ending the politics of hate and confrontation and restoring a proper politics of mutual respect and coexistence," Lee told reporters in front of Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno-gu, Seoul. "Korea’s politics has become a politics of killing opponents, which gives birth to despair," he said. "This incident will make all of us look back, and I will also reflect once again, so that we can return to the politics of living that creates hope.”

Lee added, "I will live the rest of my life only for the people because it is the life that the people have saved. If we can restore the politics of respect and coexistence, and can go to a hopeful country together, what would be so wasteful about losing my life?" He put a bandage around his neck and made a sound to clear his throat. After speaking for four minutes, he left the hospital in a car without a Q&A session.

Lee also expressed his gratitude to Busan. It is understood that he was trying to calm down the controversy that he distrusted local medical care and underwent surgery in Seoul instead of Busan, where he was stabbed in the neck with a knife by a 66-year-old man. "I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the fire department, police, and medical staff of Pusan National University for saving my life with appropriate and prompt emergency measures in a life-or-death situation," Lee said.

Lee will continue to recover at home for the time being. He did not decide when to return to the party. However, as the general election is only 90 days away, he is expected to return as soon as his health improves.

Lee has a lot of work to do. Three DPK lawmakers left the party criticizing Lee's leadership, and former DPK leader Lee Nak-yon will also leave the party on January 11. As the leader of the main opposition party, Lee could be accused of failing to prevent the division of the party. With the election campaign in full swing, fair nomination is also expected to be his major task.

DPK’s stagnant approval rating is also weighing on Lee’s shoulders. According to a regular poll by Gallup Korea, the approval rating of DPK was stuck in the 30-34 percent range last year. During the same period, disapproval rating of President Yoon's job performance hovered between 55 percent and 62 percent, but the DPK failed to benefit from Yoon’s low approval rating.

"If you return to the party, we ask you to do politics for the people, instead of protecting your side," Park Jung-ha, senior spokesperson of the ruling People’s Power Party, said to Lee in a comment. "We hope that Lee's sincerity, which speaks of respect and coexistence, will reach those who use abusive and hateful language."

※This article has undergone review by a professional translator after being translated by an AI translation tool.