**South Korean opposition leader Lee Jae-myung stabbed in the neck during assault in Busan**
The leader of South Korea’s main opposition party, Lee Jae-myung, was the victim of an attack in the southern city of Busan on Tuesday, leaving him with a 1-centimeter laceration on the left side of his neck. The incident occurred while Lee was touring the construction site of the Gadeokdo New Airport and speaking to reporters. He was suddenly struck in the neck by an unidentified man, who was subsequently restrained by several people.
Lee suffered “suspected damage to his jugular vein” and was rushed to Seoul National University Hospital for surgery. The attack left him conscious but in a serious condition. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol expressed deep concern for Lee’s safety and ordered the police to swiftly investigate the incident, emphasizing that such violence “should not be tolerated under any circumstances.”
The attack on Lee has been described as an act of “terrorism” and “a serious threat to democracy” by the Democratic Party spokesperson. This incident has sparked concerns in a country already riven by deep political polarization, particularly after the narrow loss of Lee to the conservative People Power Party candidate, Yoon, in the presidential election in March 2022.
South Korea has witnessed high-profile incidents of political violence in the past, including an attack on Lee’s predecessor in the Democratic Party, Song Young-gil, with a hammer during a campaign event. Former President Park Geun-hye was also attacked with a knife in 2006 during a party rally, suffering a four-inch cut on her face that required 60 stitches.
As a breaking news story, the investigation into the attack on Lee and his condition at the hospital is ongoing. More information will be provided as it becomes available.