In a shocking incident in South Korea, Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, was stabbed in the neck while visiting the port city of Busan. The attack occurred on Tuesday during Lee’s inspection of a proposed airport site.
Lee was immediately rushed to Pusan National University Hospital for medical attention and is reported to be conscious. The assailant, described as a man in his 50s or 60s, approached Lee amidst a crowd of supporters, seemingly asking for an autograph. He was wearing a paper crown with Lee’s name when he suddenly attacked, inflicting a 1 cm long gash on Lee’s neck. The perpetrator was promptly detained at the scene.
The motive behind the attack remains unclear as the attacker has reportedly not cooperated with police investigations. The incident has drawn widespread condemnation, including from President Yoon Suk Yeol, who described the attack as unacceptable and expressed deep concern for Lee’s well-being. Yoon, along with others, has called for the provision of the best medical care to ensure Lee’s swift recovery.
Lee Jae-myung, a former governor of Gyeonggi province, has been at the forefront of the Democratic Party since August 2022, following a narrow defeat in the 2022 presidential election against conservative former chief prosecutor Yoon Suk Yeol.
This stabbing incident adds to South Korea’s history of political violence. Despite stringent gun control laws, the country has witnessed several politically motivated attacks using other weapons. Previous notable incidents include the stabbing of Park Geun-hye, then the leader of the conservative opposition party and later president, in 2006, and an attack on Song Young-gil, Lee’s predecessor, in 2022. Additionally, in 2015, Mark Lippert, then the U.S. ambassador to South Korea, suffered severe facial injuries in a similar attack.
The recent assault on Lee Jae-myung has heightened concerns about political violence in South Korea, especially with the upcoming parliamentary elections in April. This incident underscores the need for increased security measures and vigilance in the country’s political arena.