By Agencies and published by CNA
Seoul – South Korea’s opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung was stabbed in the neck today (Jan. 2) during a visit to the southern port city of Busan, the Yonhap news agency reported.
Lee, who narrowly lost the 2022 presidential election, is conscious and has been transported to a local university hospital, a party official and a fire department official told Reuters.
Lee was attacked by an unidentified man while touring the site of a proposed airport, Yonhap said. The attack has left him with a gash of about 1cm on his neck, YTN television reported.
The assailant appeared to be a man in his 50s or 60s, who wore a paper crown with Lee’s name on it, news photographs showed.
He approached Lee asking for an autograph, then suddenly lunged forward and attacked him, news reports said. The assailant was quickly subdued and arrested at the scene, Yonhap said.
Video clips on YTN television and another posted on the social media platform X showed the attack, with a man lunging at Lee with his arm stretched out. Lee grimaced and collapsed to the ground.
News photographs showed the 59-year-old lying on the ground with his eyes closed and other people pressing a handkerchief against the side of his neck.
President condemns attack
President Yoon Suk Yeol condemned the attack, saying it was an unacceptable act, his office said. He expressed deep concern for Lee and instructed best care be given so he can make a speedy recovery, his office said.
His spokesperson Kim Soo-kyung said: “Yoon emphasised our society should never tolerate this kind of act of violence under any circumstances.”
Previously governor of Gyeonggi province, Lee narrowly lost to conservative Yoon, a former chief prosecutor, in the 2022 presidential election.
A former child factory worker who suffered an industrial accident as a teenage school drop-out, Lee rose to political stardom partly by playing up his rags-to-riches tale.
But his bid for the top office has been overshadowed by a string of scandals.
Lee avoided arrest in September when a court dismissed a request from the prosecution for him to be taken into custody pending trial on various corruption charges.
He still faces trial on charges of bribery in connection with a firm that is suspected of illicitly transferring US$8 million to North Korea.
Lee is also accused of breaching his duties, which allegedly resulted in a loss of 20 billion won (US$15 million) for a company owned by Seongnam city during his term as its mayor.
Lee has led the main opposition party since August 2022.
South Korea’s next parliamentary elections are slated for April.
Although there are strict restrictions on gun possession, South Korea has a history of political violence involving other types of weapons.
Lee’s predecessor, Song Young-gil was attacked in 2022 at a public event by an assailant who swung a blunt object against his head, causing a laceration.
Then conservative opposition party leader Park Geun-hye, who later served as president, was attacked at an event in 2006 with a knife and suffered a gash on her face that required surgery.
CAPTIONS:
Top: South Korea’s opposition party leader Lee Jae-myung falls after being attacked by an unidentified man during his visit to Busan, South Korea, on Jan. 2, 2024. Photo: Reuters/Yonhap and published by CNA
Front Page: South Korea’s opposition party leader Lee Jae-myung speaks during his visit to Busan, South Korea, Jan 2, 2024. Photo: Reuters/Yonhap and published by CNA
Also read: Massive earthquake jolts Japan followed by a tsunami
Indonesia’s Papua region jolted by 6.5 magnitude earthquake
As many as 500,000 refugees might flee to Thailand from Myanmar
China, Vietnam cautioned over dredging, landfill work on South China Sea reefs
Myanmar launches couple of newly-built offshore patrol boats
USS Carl Vinson returns to South China Sea after Singapore visit
Another couple of Russian-built Su-30 fighters arrive in Myanmar
Thai tourism bounds ahead after post-Covid surge
PATA chairman blasts global geopolitical unrest as ‘existential threat’ to tourism
