By Lee Jin-woo
Staff Reporter


Former President and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kim Dae-jung has been hospitalized again just about one month after he was discharged from his 12-day hospitalization, his aides said. But his doctors said Kim is not in critical condition.

Kim, 80, was readmitted to Yonsei University’s Severance Hospital in Seoul due to high blood pressure and exhaustion at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday for intensive medical check-ups and treatment, according to Choi Kyung-hwan, an aide to the former president.

``Ex-President Kim slept well and doctors say his condition is improving,’’ Choi said. ``We cannot accept visits from well-wishers because Kim is under investigation.’’

Choi added that the former president has not been able to eat properly since the ``Chusok’’ holidays, Korea’s version of Thanksgiving Day.

The results of the medical examinations will be given Friday.

His doctors refrained from elaborating on Kim’s condition but said his blood pressure lowered after the hospitalization and he needs to stay at the hospital for a few more days. The former president was diagnosed with a dropsical swelling of the lungs.

``We served him light meals, such as ear shell soup, but he has not been able to eat much,’’ Chung Nam-sik, the former president’s doctor, said. ``He breathes with the aid of a respirator, but his condition is not that serious.’’

Despite his poor health, Kim attended the opening ceremony of the Kim Dae-jung Convention Center in Kwangju on Sept. 6.

The former president’s first hospitalization stirred controversy as it came soon after the National Intelligence Service (NIS) reported that illegal eavesdropping had continued during the early period of the 1998-2003 Kim administration.

Chong Wa Dae later explained that there was no political scheme or intention to disgrace Kim’s achievements and stressed the former president would not have been aware of the illegal practices of the spy agency.

things@koreatimes.co.kr