SEOUL, Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung will officially return to party duties next week, a party official said Thursday, after weeks of hospital treatment to recuperate from his 24-day hunger strike against the government.

Lee will appear in a Seoul court for a trial on his corruption allegations Friday and will resume his duties as the chairman of the Democratic Party (DP) starting Monday, Kwon Hyuk-ki, an aide to Lee, told reporters.

The DP leader has been absent from duties since being transferred to a hospital on Sept. 18, after his health conditions worsened from weeks of hunger strike.

He left the hospital last week and has since been recovering at home.

Lee is already standing trial on two other separate cases, involving alleged election law violations during his unsuccessful presidential bid in 2022 and corruption charges connected to another property development project launched during his term as Seongnam mayor, respectively.

Source: Yonhap News Agency