Chung Chungrae Receives Consolation Call from President Lee During Hospitalization... Highlights Democratic Party's Push for Unity

Hospitalized on the 16th Due to Severe Chills and Fever
President Lee Calls Personally Before U.S. Trip

President Lee Jaemyung reportedly called Chung Chungrae, former leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, who is currently hospitalized due to accumulated overwork, to wish him a speedy recovery.

Screenshot of Jeong Cheong-rae, former leader of the Democratic Party of Korea's Facebook page

According to Money Today on the 22nd, before departing for his trip to the United States to attend the United Nations General Assembly, President Lee spoke with former leader Chung by phone, inquiring about his health and well-being and expressing hopes for a swift recovery. It is also reported that President Lee expressed his intention to meet Chung in person after he is discharged from the hospital.

Earlier, former leader Chung announced that on the 16th, he had visited the emergency room and been hospitalized due to severe chills and fever.

On the 18th, he disclosed this information through his Facebook page, posting a photo of himself in the hospital. On the 22nd, five days after his hospitalization, he reported that he was able to eat water and rice porridge, indicating that his health was improving.

He then likened his health condition to the internal state of the Democratic Party, saying, "Just as the whole body suffers from chills and fever if even a tiny part, like the nail, is damaged, the entire membership can suffer when even part of the party or the country is unwell."

He went on to say, "If the majority of members are suffering from the same illness, prompt treatment is needed," adding, "Is there something wrong within the Democratic Party? We must quickly diagnose the pain and begin treatment."

In particular, former leader Chung likened the party's divisions to an "illness," stating, "The illness of division within the Democratic Party must be treated with the medicine of unity. We need to heal the wounds of division through the unity of the 'Four Progressives' (the four progressive presidents) and help new growth emerge."

The "Four Progressives" or "Four-President Unity" Chung mentioned is assumed to refer to Presidents Kim Daejung, Roh Moo-hyun, Moon Jae-in, and Lee Jaemyung. He also referenced President Lee's recent press conference, highlighting Lee’s emphasis on ending divisive language and attitudes among party members and supporters and called for proactive follow-up measures at the party level.

Meanwhile, before his phone call with former leader Chung, President Lee reportedly also had a conversation with former President Moon Jae-in ahead of the Chuseok holiday, exchanging messages of goodwill. Former President Moon mentioned that he had watched President Lee’s press conference on the 18th, and the two reportedly discussed pending issues between South Korea and the United States.

With these successive phone calls—one with former President Moon and a call of encouragement to former leader Chung—along with Chung's appeal for unity, attention is now focused on whether these developments will help resolve internal conflicts and strengthen unity within the Democratic Party of Korea.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.