South Korea’s fundamental opposition occasion chief Lee Jae-myung was stabbed with a knife throughout a go to to the southern metropolis of Busan on Tuesday, January 2.
The stunning assault left him bloodied however acutely aware, occasion officers mentioned.
Lee was touring the development web site of the Gadeokdo New Airport when he was struck on the left aspect of his neck whereas chatting with a crowd of reporters, in line with a Democratic Get together official.
Lee is “in a acutely aware state” in hospital, in line with his occasion’s ground chief Hong Ik-pyo who added {that a} detailed evaluation of Lee’s situation and therapy plan would require a while.
Footage of the brazen assault, captured on dwell tv on the press convention, confirmed an unidentified man on the entrance of the gang who immediately jumped at Lee and struck him within the neck, sending Lee collapsing backwards.
The attacker was then wrestled to the bottom and restrained by a number of folks.
Images confirmed Lee mendacity on the ground along with his eyes shut and a handkerchief pressed towards his neck. Small quantities of blood have been seen in a few of the pictures.
South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol expressed “deep concern” for Lee’s security after the assault, in line with the presidential workplace.
Yoon emphasised such violence “shouldn’t be tolerated beneath any circumstances” and ordered the police to swiftly examine, the workplace mentioned.
Democratic Get together ground chief Hong referred to as for occasion members to stay calm and never make political interpretations of the incident.
Lee, 59, a liberal former provincial governor, narrowly misplaced to Yoon of the conservative Individuals Energy Get together within the presidential election in March 2022.
Lee turned the chief of the Democratic Get together 5 months later and has been gearing up his occasion for the parliamentary elections in April.
In a briefing Tuesday, Democratic Get together spokesperson Kwon Chil-seung referred to as the assault an act of “terrorism” towards Lee and “a severe menace to democracy.”
Watch the video under.
WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
South Korean opposition chief Lee Jae-myung has been hospitalized after he was stabbed within the neck throughout a go to to the town of Busan https://t.co/ycQcSI7TIm pic.twitter.com/se5AwTTMTv— Reuters (@Reuters) January 2, 2024