South Korea’s leading opposition figure, Lee Jae-myung, was hospitalized on Monday after a 19-day hunger strike to protest against government policies, according to his party. Shortly after his hospitalization, prosecutors issued an arrest warrant for Lee on corruption charges.
Lee, aged 58 and a former presidential candidate, began his hunger strike on August 31, citing the government’s perceived “incompetent and violent” policies. His primary concern was the government’s failure to take a strong stance against Japan’s release of treated wastewater from the damaged Fukushima nuclear reactor.
Lee appeared pale and weak in media footage, but his hospitalization did not deter prosecutors from pursuing an arrest warrant.
South Korea’s Justice Minister, Han Dong-hoon, emphasized that fasting is a matter of personal freedom but should not interfere with investigations or trials. He raised concerns about setting a precedent that could impact legal proceedings.
Prosecutors have accused Lee of bribery related to a firm suspected of illicitly transferring $8 million to North Korea. He is also alleged to have breached his duties, resulting in a loss of 20 billion won ($15 million) for a company owned by Seongnam city during his tenure as its mayor. Lee vehemently denies all these allegations.
For a court to consider the prosecution’s request for an arrest warrant, Lee’s parliamentary immunity would need to be waived by the National Assembly, where his Democratic Party holds a majority. Lee’s party criticized the arrest warrant as a sign of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s administration’s perceived authoritarianism and oppression.
The ruling People Power Party has called on Lee to end his hunger strike and expressed willingness to engage in discussions about his policy concerns once he regains his health.
Lee’s political career, characterized by a challenging upbringing as a former child factory worker, faced setbacks due to multiple scandals, including a questionable land development deal and persistent rumors linking him to organized crime. Several individuals connected to Lee’s past controversies have tragically died, with some suspected suicides.
In the previous presidential election, Lee narrowly lost to Yoon Suk Yeol by a margin of 0.7 percent.