South Korea’s opposition party leader stabbed in neck, suspect arrested

Lee Jae-myung, chief of the main opposition Democratic Party in South Korea, was attacked and stabbed on the left side of his neck while visiting Busan. The incident occurred during a question-and-answer session with reporters after touring a new airport construction site on Gadeok Island. TV footage showed a man lunging at Lee and striking him with a 20-centimeter-long knife, causing him to collapse. A suspect was arrested at the scene. Lee was transferred to Pusan National University Hospital for emergency treatment, remaining conscious but bleeding. South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol condemned the attack, emphasizing that society should never tolerate such violence. Lee, who lost the 2022 presidential election, is currently on trial for suspected bribery. He had launched a hunger strike in 2023, protesting economic mismanagement, threats to media freedom, and Japan’s release of Fukushima nuclear plant wastewater. Despite these challenges, Lee is expected to run for president again in 2027 and remains a strong contender in recent polls.

Source – CGTN