Senior Vice Chairperson Lee Hae-chan of The Peaceful Unification Advisory Council (PUAC) suffered a rapid deterioration in health while on a business trip to Vietnam on the 23rd and is in critical condition.
According to PUAC officials and others, Lee, who was on a business trip to Vietnam, arrived at Tan Son Nhat Airport around 1 p.m. that day to return home, then showed signs of weakening respiration and was transported by ambulance to a local hospital emergency room while receiving cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
There was also cardiac arrest during transport to the hospital, but breathing has reportedly returned. Local cardiac specialists are said to have diagnosed a myocardial infarction and performed a procedure to insert a stent for Lee.
Lee departed for Ho Chi Minh City the previous day to attend the PUAC Vietnam Operations Council. Before leaving for Vietnam the previous day, Lee complained of flu-like symptoms, and on the morning of the 23rd, determined that "the physical condition is not good" and was preparing to return home.
Lee is a seven-term former lawmaker who also served as prime minister. In Oct. last year, Lee was appointed senior vice chairperson of the PUAC.
The presidential office is reportedly set to send political adviser Cho Jeong-sik to Vietnam on the 24th to support Lee.