Main opposition Democratic Party(DP) leader Lee Jae-myung, who was discharged from hospital after he was stabbed in the neck on a visit to the southeastern city of Busan last week, said he will be unable to attend corruption trial hearings for some time.

At a preparatory hearing on Friday for breach of duty and bribery trial regarding the Daejang-dong and other corruption scandals, Lee's legal counsel this is despite the DP chief wishing a prompt return to party duties while not disrupting the trial. The counsel said Lee is having difficulty speaking.

The preparatory hearing had already been postponed once from Tuesday following the attack on January 2.

The court, however, said the trial will proceed first with questioning of witnesses in Lee's absence. Hearings will be held on January 23, 26 and 30 for the defense to cross-examine Yoo Dong-kyu, a key figure in the Daejang-dong scandal.

Lee's inability to attend trial hearings will likely also apply to other pending trials on his alleged violation of the election law, for which a hearing is scheduled on January 19, and another trial hearing for alleged subornation of perjury on January 22.