In a horrifying act of political violence, South Korea's main opposition leader, Lee Jae-myung, was stabbed in the neck by an unidentified assailant during a public visit to the city of Busan.
The shocking incident occurred on Tuesday morning as Mr. Lee, the head of the liberal Democratic Party, was conducting a tour of the proposed site for a new airport on Gadeok Island. Eyewitnesses and footage from the scene depict a chaotic moment where a man, posing as a supporter, pushed through the crowd before lunging at the politician with a weapon.
The attacker reportedly struck Mr. Lee on the left side of his neck. The politician immediately collapsed, with aides rushing to apply pressure to the bleeding wound using a handkerchief. He was conscious but in clear distress as he was urgently transported to the Pusan National University Hospital for emergency treatment.
Security personnel and police at the scene acted swiftly, subduing and arresting the suspect on the spot. The motive behind the brutal attack remains unclear and is now the subject of an intense police investigation.
This assault sends a severe shockwave through South Korea's political landscape, raising urgent questions about the safety of public figures in the country. Mr. Lee, who narrowly lost the 2022 presidential election, remains a highly influential and polarising figure in national politics.
