The socially liberal politician Lee Jae Myung leads South Korea’s largest opposition party. He is at a public appearance when he is the victim of an attack.
South Korea’s left-liberal opposition leader Lee Jae Myung was stabbed and injured by a man during a public appearance. Lee, 59, fell to the ground with a bleeding wound on his neck, South Korean broadcasters reported on Tuesday. After first aid measures at the scene of the attack in Busan, he was initially taken to a hospital in the southeastern coastal metropolis. The attacker was arrested and, according to the police, he is being investigated for attempted murder. According to the national news agency Yonhap, police seized an 18 centimeter long knife as the murder weapon.
President Yoon Suk Yeol expressed dismay after the attack on his defeated rival in the presidential election two years ago. The spokesman for the Democratic Party (DP), of which Lee is chairman, spoke of an act of terrorism. The incident occurred three months before South Korea’s general elections.
Lee was later flown by helicopter to a hospital in Seoul and underwent surgery. The injury to a vein was not life-threatening, reported the public TV station KBS, citing doctors.
Television images showed how the alleged attacker was overpowered by several people immediately after the crime. The incident occurred as Lee was answering questions from journalists after visiting a construction site for a new airport on Busan’s Gadeok Island.
Corruption allegations rejected
The motive for the crime was initially unclear. According to police, the suspect was born in 1957. He reportedly posed as a supporter of the DP leader and wore a paper crown that read: “I am Lee Jae Myung.” He approached the politician wanting an autograph when he suddenly attacked Lee.
According to his office, President Yoon ordered a rapid investigation into the background of the attack. “Such acts of violence cannot be tolerated under any circumstances,” Yoo was quoted as saying. In the 2022 presidential election, Lee, as the DP candidate, was narrowly defeated by the right-wing conservative Yoon. Lee’s goal was to renew the politics of the heavily divided country. He also campaigned for the introduction of an unconditional basic income.
Shortly before the election, the election campaign was overshadowed by an act of violence against Lee’s predecessor, Song Young Gil, as party leader. Song was hit on the head with a solid object by a man and was injured. In May 2006, then opposition leader and later president Park Geun Hye was injured in the face in a knife attack.
There are two cases pending against Lee Jae Myung on allegations of corruption in several cases and violation of the electoral law. The corruption allegations stem, among other things, from a time when Lee was still mayor of the city of Seongnam. Lee has rejected the corruption allegations and accused the government camp of political conspiracy.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
