Man stabs South Korean opposition leader with a knife
South Korean opposition party leader, Lee Jae-myung, was attacked on Tuesday in the port city of Busan, sustaining a stab wound to the neck while conversing with reporters.
The incident occurred as he was walking in a crowd of journalists after visiting a new airport site, with a man lunging at him and striking his neck, as depicted in footage on South Korean television channels.
Witnesses reported that Jae-myung was walking towards his car while engaged with reporters when the assailant, who had initially asked for an autograph, attacked him with what appeared to be a knife.
Emergency responders quickly attended to the 59-year-old, with one person applying pressure to his neck using a handkerchief. Subsequently, he was transported to Pusan National University Hospital via helicopter, bleeding but conscious.
Kwon Chil-seung, an MP from Lee’s Democratic Party, condemned the attack as an act of terror and a grave threat to democracy. Expressing deep concern, Yoon Yeol, the conservative who defeated Jae-myung in the 2022 presidential race, emphasized that society should not tolerate such violence.
The police in Busan reported a one-centimeter laceration on Jae-myung’s neck, noting that he remained conscious with minor bleeding. The attacker, identified wearing a hat with Jae-myung’s name, has been arrested.
Jae-myung, a former child factory worker with a rags-to-riches narrative, is expected to run for president again in 2027, despite facing corruption charges. He narrowly lost the 2022 presidential race to Yoon Yeol.
Recent polls indicate he remains a strong contender, but his political aspirations have been marred by scandals, including bribery allegations and accusations of breaching duties during his mayoral term. He has denied all charges, and a thorough police investigation into the attack has been demanded.
AFP