On the 13th, the 14th day of fasting, Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, moved his fasting location from the tent in front of the National Assembly headquarters to the party leader’s conference room inside the headquarters. He emphasized his determination not to stop despite concerns about “irreversible damage” to medical staff and dissuasion from the party leadership and former President Moon Jae-in from fasting.
There are a growing number of people inside and outside the Democratic Party who are dissuading Representative Lee from fasting. On this day, Representative안전놀이터 Lee continues his fast longer than the 13 days of fasting that former President Kim Dae-jung conducted while urging the introduction of local autonomy. Following the party’s top committee members visiting Representative Lee right after the Supreme Committee meeting that day, lawmakers from the party’s lawmakers’ groups, Better Future, The People’s Elementary School, and the Democratic People’s Coalition for Democracy, visited the fasting site. Youth members of the party, including Rep. Jeon Yong-gi, staged a sit-in in solidarity in the tent vacated by Representative Lee. Following the 11th, Representative Lee was absent from the top meeting again today due to health issues.
Former Blue House Chief of Staff Noh Young-min also visited Representative Lee this afternoon and said, “In this situation where politics has disappeared and ideology is prioritized over national interest or people’s livelihood, the health of the party leader is more important than anything else.” He relayed former President Moon’s words, saying, “I need to recover.” Representative Lee indirectly announced his intention to maintain fasting, saying, “I will take this into consideration deeply before making a decision.”
A warning light was turned on for CEO Lee’s health due to the long-term fast. Rep. Cheon Jun-ho, the representative’s chief secretary, said, “Considering that irreversible medical damage usually occurs after 10 to 14 days, (medical staff) believe that fasting has reached its limit,” and added, “It is better to stop fasting now.” “It is desirable. If any serious abnormalities occur in the future, we will strongly recommend that you stop fasting immediately.”
Representative Lee is showing symptoms such as weight loss, hypothermia, and arrhythmia. He was also captured walking with his cane. Rep. Baek Hye-ryeon, who visited the fasting site that day, said, “When I saw her back at the prosecution photo line, her legs looked like chopsticks.”
However, until this day, Representative Lee says he will continue his fast. Representative Lee’s side checks his temperature, blood sugar, and blood pressure 2-3 times a day and reports them to the medical staff, and has decided to increase the frequency as the fasting becomes longer. The medical staff decided to attach a patch to check the heartbeat 24 hours a day. Spokesperson Park Seong-joon explained about the relocation of the fasting location, saying, “The fact that we moved to the party leader’s conference room shows our determined will to continue the fasting further.”