Stabbed DP chief Lee Jae-myung returns to work, says elections will ‘evaluate’ Yoon gov’t

Lee Jae-myung, chief of the liberal Democratic Party (DP), stressed that the upcoming April general elections will be a “mid-term evaluation” of the current Yoon Suk Yeol administration as he returned to work 15 days after his stabbing Wednesday.

Lee Jae-myung, center, chairman of the Democratic Party (DP), convenes a supreme council meeting at the National Assembly in western Seoul on Wednesday, marking a return to work 15 days after he was stabbed in the neck in Busan. [YONHAP]

Democratic Party (DP) chief Lee Jae-Myung stressed that the upcoming April general elections would be a "mid-term evaluation" of the current Yoon Suk Yeol administration as he returned to work Wednesday, 15 days after his stabbing.

"The DP believes that this administration's actions and performance over the past two years have not lived up to the people's expectations and should be held accountable," said Lee, who resumed his duties after recovering from a knife attack on the neck presiding over his party's supreme council meeting at the National Assembly.

"Elections are about evaluating whether given power is properly exercised," Lee continued. "That's why the upcoming general elections are so important. It is a serious opportunity for the people to properly examine and judge whether the government and the [People Power Party (PPP)] have properly carried out the responsibilities given to them by the people over the past two years and to reward them if they did well and hold them accountable if they did not."

On Jan. 2, Lee was stabbed in his left neck with a knife by a 67-year-old man during a visit to Busan. Lee suffered a 1.4-centimeter (0.55-inch) wound to the neck and underwent surgery for a laceration to a vein in his neck at Seoul National University Hospital. He was discharged from the hospital one week ago and has been recovering at home.

DP leader Lee is faced with a divided party, with former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon defecting from the DP recently to form a new party that offers an alternative to the existing two major parties. Lee Nak-yon, a former DP chief, has been hoping to unite lawmakers of a faction opposed to the current party leader and other politicians seeking a so-called third zone in politics.

During the meeting, Lee Jae-myung acknowledged the internal difficulties.

"There are many controversies, but we will do our best to unify and show new hope to our people through fair and innovative nominations that meet the public's expectations," he said.

Lee said during the meeting that unspecified opponents tried to "kill him with the law and the pen, and when that didn't work, the knife." However, he declared he would "never die."

"It feels new coming to the National Assembly and meeting the press," Lee told reporters earlier in the morning. "Compared to the pain of the practical difficulties experienced by people worldwide, I think what I have experienced is probably trivial."

He added, "I think people were surprised at the beginning of the year, but I will do my best to carry out the responsibilities given to me and entrusted to me by the people."

During his recovery process, Lee still made important decisions remotely.

He later participated in a personnel recruitment ceremony before the general elections.

Responding to Lee's remarks about the "law, pen and knife," PPP interim leader Han Dong-hoon called the DP chief Lee "delusional" on Wednesday.

"Who's trying to kill him? Me? The PPP? Or the people?" Han told reporters after a lunch meeting with senior lawmakers in Yeouido, western Seoul. "It was just a case of a very peculiar person committing a very evil crime."

He called the incident "very unfortunate" but said Lee did not need to "interpret it in an unreasonably political way."

Lee's assailant was arrested at the scene of the crime. The police said he admitted to stabbing Lee for political motivations, aiming to prevent him from becoming president. Police have yet to reveal his party affiliation.

On Tuesday, Han proposed reducing the number of seats in the National Assembly from 300 to 250.

Han made the proposal during a New Year's meet and greet at a hotel in Gyeyang District, Incheon, which is also the home turf of DP chief Lee, who represents Gyeyang District B.

Han said that if the PPP wins in the April 10 general elections, it will pass an amendment to the law to reduce the number of lawmakers if the DP doesn't oppose it. This could involve a drastic reduction in proportional seats in the parliament.

The DP currently holds a parliamentary majority.

Han has made a series of political reform pledges, including proposals to make lawmakers give up their immunity from arrest and return party fees if they are sentenced to imprisonment.

The pledges seem directed at DP head Lee, who has suffered from legal woes, including allegations of involvement in a land development scandal in Seongnam, Gyeonggi.

Former Minister of Land Won Hee-ryong, who has hinted at running for office in the Gyeyang B constituency, also attended the event. The hotel was located just 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) away from Lee's office in Gyeyang B District.

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