SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA – South Korean opposition leader Lee Jae-myung was stabbed in the neck by an unidentified knife-wielding assailant during a visit to the southeastern city of Busan on Tuesday, according to police reports.
Lee, who leads the main opposition Democratic Party, was immediately transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. While police and emergency officials indicated that he was conscious and not in critical condition, his precise status remained uncertain.
The attack unfolded as Lee was traversing through a crowd of journalists and onlookers after concluding a tour of the site for a new airport in Busan. The assailant, disguised as a supporter, approached Lee under the pretext of seeking an autograph and then proceeded to stab him in the neck with a knife, as reported by Busan police.
Lee collapsed, and a bystander applied a handkerchief to his neck to stem the bleeding. Eyewitness Jin Jeong-hwa, speaking to YTN television, described the scene, noting that Lee bled significantly.
Videos circulating on social media captured the suspect, wearing a paper crown that read “I’m Lee Jae-myung,” being pursued and subdued by several individuals.
Police promptly arrested the man at the scene. During questioning, he reportedly refused to disclose the motive behind the attack, according to Yonhap news agency.
The Democratic Party labeled the incident as “a terrorist attack on Lee and a serious threat to democracy,” urging law enforcement to conduct a thorough and swift investigation.
Expressing deep concern about Lee’s health, President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered authorities to investigate the attack, emphasizing a zero-tolerance approach to such violence, according to Yoon’s office.
Lee, who narrowly lost the 2022 presidential election to Yoon, is recognized for his outspoken style. Supporters regard him as an anti-elitist figure capable of reforming establishment politics, combating corruption, and addressing economic inequality. Critics, however, see him as a divisive populist who fosters discord and demonizes conservative opponents.