South Korean Opposition Leader Stabbed in Neck During Public Appearance
South Korea’s opposition leader, Lee Jae-myung, was the target of a violent attack on Tuesday while visiting the city of Busan. According to police, Lee was stabbed in the neck by an unidentified man wielding a knife during a visit to the southeastern city. The assailant approached Lee under the guise of asking for an autograph before carrying out the attack.
Lee, who is 59 years old and the head of the main opposition Democratic Party, was quickly taken to a hospital in Seoul after receiving emergency treatment in Busan. He is currently recovering in the intensive care unit at Seoul National University Hospital following a two-hour surgery.
The attacker was subdued by Democratic Party officials and then detained by police. The suspect, believed to be in his late 60s, claimed to have bought the 7-inch knife online. The motive behind the attack is still under investigation, with police expected to file formal charges of attempted murder.
Following the incident, President Yoon Suk Yeol expressed deep concern about Lee’s health and ordered authorities to investigate the attack, stating that such violence would not be tolerated.
Lee was the runner-up in the 2022 presidential election, losing to Yoon by a narrow margin. He has been a vocal critic of Yoon’s policies, and last year, he held a 24-day hunger strike to protest several of the president’s actions.
This is not the first instance of violence against high-profile figures in South Korea. In 2015, the U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, Mark Lippert, was also the victim of an attack, and in 2006, Park Geun-hye, who would later become president, was knifed during an election rally.
The stabbing of Lee Jae-myung has been described by his party as a terrorist attack and a serious threat to democracy. Authorities are urging for a thorough and swift investigation into the incident.