Thirteen days into a hunger strike to protest against Japan's unilateral discharge of nuclear contaminated water into the sea and his own government's inaction, the leader of the Republic of Korea's main opposition party is weak and his colleagues fear for his "dangerous health condition".
However, Lee Jae-myung, though weakened by the hunger strike, was ordered to appear before prosecutors on Tuesday afternoon, for a sixth round of questioning over allegations around his alleged involvement in a company's illegal money transfers to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Lee launched his hunger strike on Aug 31, describing it as a "national resistance against the incompetent and violent government" of incumbent President Yoon Suk-yeol. Lee also said it was in opposition to his country's passive response to Japan's release of Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water into the Pacific, which started on Aug 24.
Lee said the government failed to protect its people by dismissing their safety concerns about the release of the water, which was contaminated in 2011 during the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant's failure during a tsunami that was triggered by an offshore earthquake.
In a survey conducted by Gallup Korea in June, nearly 80 percent of people in the ROK were concerned that the radioactive water could contaminate the ocean it was discharged into and damage fishery products.
Kim Han-kyu, a spokesman for the Democratic Party of Korea, or DP, said after an emergency meeting on Sept 12 that many party members considered it dangerous for Lee to continue his hunger strike, according to local newspaper Dong-a Ilbo. Some colleagues even urged their party leader to suspend the strike.
Lee had previously been grilled for about eight hours on Sept 9, which was paused due to his health condition. He did not sign a statement prepared by the prosecution because he said it was not accurate.
The questioning on Sept 12 lasted for about 1 hour and 50 minutes.
Kim said the reason why Lee appeared for the questioning, despite his physical discomfort, was because he thinks prosecutors should end the case without charging him.
In a statement, the DP raised questions about the questioning and asked whether it was an investigation or bullying to summon the party leader after he had been on hunger strike for 13 days.
Speaking to the media on Sept 12, Lee said the prosecutors did not provide enough evidence and denied his association with the suspected company, named Sangbangwool, according to broadcaster YTN.
Some members of the ruling People Power Party have criticized Lee's hunger strike and said it was strategy employed to try to dodge prosecutors.
