Mr. Kim, who began his five-year term in 1993 actively aiming to uproot the endemic corruption in Korean business and politics, has been seriously wounded politically by the various scandals.

He has been wounded politically by the sour economy, and his separation from his wife during his term did him no good.

But already Mr. Li appears to be wounded politically, and even the subtle campaigning against him is a sign that the hard-liners seem to be in retreat.

The Prime Minister, indisputably the most popular Japanese leader in many years, has been wounded politically, perhaps beyond healing, by a prolonged parliamentary deadlock over his demands for a new sales tax.

Two years after being politically wounded by the issue of homosexuals in the military, President Clinton has decided to back a bill outlawing job discrimination against homosexuals, White House officials said today.

Daniel S. Alcorn, a Democratic district chairman in northern Virginia, acknowledges that Mr. Robb has been politically wounded by the grand jury investigation.

Politically wounded, Ms. Hafer will face Gov. Robert P. Casey, who opposes abortion, in the fall.

President J. R. Jayewardene, who staked his Government on the accord with the Indians, survived that attack but he has been politically wounded by the continuing violence.

But they also said the pledge reflected a belief that Mr. Sharon had been politically wounded by scandals pursuing him and his party, the Likud.

President Jacques Chirac of France has been wounded politically by his voters' rejection last week of the proposed European constitution.