BUSAN, South Korea — In a shocking turn of events, South Korea’s opposition leader, Lee Jae-myung, was viciously attacked during his visit to the southeastern city of Busan. The 59-year-old head of the main opposition Democratic Party was stabbed in the neck by an unidentified knife-wielding assailant.
The attack occurred as Lee was walking through a crowd of reporters and others after touring the proposed site of a new airport in Busan. The suspect approached Lee under the guise of wanting an autograph before stabbing him in the left side of his neck. Fortunately, Democratic Party officials were able to subdue the attacker and police quickly apprehended him.
President Yoon Suk Yeol expressed deep concern about Lee’s health and ordered authorities to investigate the attack, declaring that such violence would not be tolerated. In the aftermath of the attack, Lee’s party called for a thorough and swift investigation, labeling the incident “a terrorist attack on Lee and a serious threat to democracy.”
Lee, who lost the 2022 presidential election by the narrowest margin in South Korean history, has been a vocal critic of the current administration’s major policies. The attack has prompted concerns about the safety of political figures in South Korea, as it follows previous violent incidents involving high-profile individuals.
Despite facing corruption allegations, Lee remains a significant figure in South Korean politics and a major contender for the next presidential election. The motive behind the attack is still under investigation as Lee continues to recover at an intensive care unit following a two-hour operation on his damaged jugular vein. We will provide further updates as this story unfolds.