02 January 2024 , 07:02
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South Korea's opposition leader, Lee Jae-myung, was reportedly 'stabbed in the neck' during a press conference.
The attack happened when he visited a construction site for a new airport in the city of Busan. Lee, who leads the main opposition Democratic Party, was conscious after the attack but his exact condition is unknown.
Witnesses said the attacker used a knife-like weapon to stab Lee's neck. Footage showed Lee on the ground with someone pressing a handkerchief to his neck to stop the bleeding. Videos on social media showed the alleged attacker, wearing a paper crown reading "I'm Lee Jae-myung," being chased and tackled by several people.
He was arrested at the scene. The suspect, thought to be a man in his 60s or 70s, reportedly approached Mr Lee asking for an autograph, before suddenly lunging forward to stab him with a 20 to 30cm weapon.
Joel Atkinson, a researcher and teacher in Asian international politics, shared a clip showing a large group of people surrounding Lee Jae-myung before he falls to the ground. Another photo shows the opposition leader on the ground, looking hurt and holding his neck. It seems he was attacked while walking through a busy crowd.
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Lee, a liberal former provincial governor, is known for his outspoken style (AFP via Getty Images)A witness, Jin Jeong-hwa, told YTN TV that the attacker pretended to be a fan who wanted an autograph from Lee, then suddenly pulled out something sharp and stabbed him in the neck. Jin said there was a lot of blood.
The police in Busan said later that Lee got a "one-centimetre laceration on his neck" but he was awake and it wasn't too bad, as reported by Chosun Ilbo, a news source in South Korea.
A person from Mr Lee's Democratic Party of Korea said that doctors think he might have hurt his jugular vein, which is important because it takes blood from the head to the heart. He had an operation because they were worried he might bleed more, said the party person, Kwon Chil-seung.
"After being transferred to Seoul National University Hospital, we plan to operate quickly. We strongly condemn the attack and consider it a clear act of democracy destruction," Kwon stated.
Lee, a liberal ex-governor known for his bold style, narrowly lost the 2022 presidential election to Yoon. His fans see him as a hero who could shake up politics, stamp out corruption and tackle growing economic inequality.
However, critics label him a dangerous populist who stirs up divisions and demonises his conservative rivals. After his 2022 defeat, he was charged with corruption and breach of trust, with prosecutors claiming he let private developers illegally profit from a property project while he was mayor of Seongnam, a city south of Seoul, according to the BBC. Lee has denied all charges, branding them politically motivated.
In September, a court rejected a request from the prosecution for him to be held in custody while awaiting trial.
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