South Korea Oppn leader Lee Jae Myung stabbed by knife-wielding assailant

Lee Jae Myung/ AFP

South Korea's main opposition Democratic Party leader, Lee Jae-Myung, was stabbed in the neck by an unidentified assailant during a visit to the southeastern city of Busan. The incident occurred as Lee walked through a crowd of journalists and others after touring the proposed site of a new airport in Busan, stated a report in the Associated Press.

According to the report, the attacker approached the leader in the guise of seeking an autograph before stabbing him in the left side of his neck with a knife. Lee, 59, was quickly transferred from Busan, where he had received basic treatment, to a hospital in Seoul for surgery. Lee's exact condition is still unknown, despite the fact that he wasn't in serious condition at first.

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The 67-year-old suspect was apprehended by police after being restrained by Democratic Party officials in the vicinity of Lee. He acknowledged that he had bought the 18-centimeter knife online. The attack's motivation is being looked into by the authorities, the AP report further stated.

The report added that the Democratic Party called for a thorough and expeditious police investigation, characterising the incident as a "terrorist attack on Lee" and a serious threat to democracy. President Yoon Suk Yeol issued an order for a thorough inquiry into the attack and voiced grave concern.

Reportedly, after losing the 2022 presidential race by the slimmest margin in South Korean history, Lee has been an outspoken opponent of President Yoon. He has been accused of wrongdoing, including giving illegal favours while serving as Seongnam's mayor. He has continuously refuted any legal misconduct and blamed Yoon's government's political motivations for the claims.

This incident coincides with Lee's ongoing criticism of Yoon's policies, which included a 24-hour hunger strike in protest of several decisions made by the administration last year. Recognised for his entrepreneurial endeavours and his work as a human rights attorney, Lee is viewed by some as an anti-elitist leader with the potential to transform traditional politics. Critics, however, see him as a dangerous populist who inflames conflicts and demonises opponents in the conservative movement, the AP report added.

Lee's journey in politics began in 2005, gaining prominence amid public outrage over a major corruption scandal that led to the removal of then-President Park Geun-hye, a conservative figure in South Korean politics.