Seoul: On Tuesday, South Korea’s opposition Democratic Party leader, Lee Jae-myung, was assaulted and stabbed in the neck during a visit to the southern city of Busan. Lee, who narrowly lost the 2022 presidential election, was attacked by an unidentified man while inspecting the proposed site for a new airport, according to party and fire officials.
The assailant, a man in his 50s or 60s wearing a paper crown with Lee’s name on it, approached Lee while he was among supporters and reporters. The man initially asked for an autograph before suddenly lunging forward to stab Lee in the neck. Video footage showed the swift response of police officers and others at the scene who subdued the attacker.
Lee sustained a 1 cm gash on his neck and was swiftly airlifted to Pusan National University Hospital for treatment. The hospital has not officially confirmed the details of his injury.
President Yoon Suk Yeol condemned the attack, describing it as an unforgivable act. He expressed deep concern for Lee’s well-being and instructed that the best care be provided for a speedy recovery. Lee, a former governor of Gyeonggi province, is currently facing trial for alleged bribery related to a development project during his tenure as mayor of Seongnam. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing, labeling the allegations as “fiction” and a “political conspiracy.”
South Korea has a history of political violence, often involving weapons, although there are strict restrictions on gun possession. Major events involving high-profile political leaders typically have police presence, but close security protection is not the norm.
This incident echoes previous acts of political violence in South Korea, such as the 2022 attack on Lee’s predecessor, Song Young-gil, and the 2006 assault on conservative opposition leader Park Geun-hye, who later became president. In 2015, then-U.S. Ambassador Mark Lippert was attacked at a public event, sustaining a significant facial injury. The motives behind the recent attack on Lee remain unclear as the assailant refuses to answer police questions.
Read More :
- japan Quake Toll: 13 Dead, Many Trapped; 155 Quakes in a Day
- Karnataka: 165 New JN.1 COVID-19 Cases, Total Now 199
