Democratic Party lawmaker Ahn Ho-young, who has been on a hunger strike for 12 days while alleging unfairness in the party’s North Jeolla governor primary, was rushed to an emergency room.
Ahn entered the primary but lost to candidate Lee Won-taek. Since then, he has demanded a renewed inspection into allegations that Lee’s meal expenses were paid on his behalf.
According to Ahn’s side, at about 1:40 p.m. on the 22nd he was transported by ambulance to Noksaek Hospital in Jungnang-gu, following recommendations from presidential political affairs aide Cho Jung-sik and medical staff.
Earlier, senior party officials Lee Eon-ju and Kang Deuk-gu held an emergency news conference at the National Assembly urging Ahn to end the fast. Also present was North Jeolla Gov. Kim Kwan-young, who was expelled over allegations involving the distribution of cash-filled envelopes and was unable to take part in the primary. Kim has voiced support for Ahn’s protest.
Lee Eon-ju said the party leadership held a heated debate after controversy involving Lee Won-taek surfaced but failed to push through a delay of the primary.
“It hurt to see Ahn demanding a fair process through a hunger strike,” she said, adding that Ahn’s condition was not good.
National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik also visited Ahn’s tent protest site the previous day and urged him to stop fasting.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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