A South Korean political leader was the victim of an assassination attempt in the southern city of Busan yesterday. According to NBC News, Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party and opposition leader in the National Assembly was visiting the site of the new airport for the city when he was stabbed by an attendee in the crowd.
Mr. Jae-myung is going about his business at these events, as most politicians do when the suspect lunged through the press pool and stabbed him in the neck. There was reportedly little blood loss, and the injury was determined to be "non-life threatening." A strong condemnation from President Yoon Suk Yeol regarding politically motivated violence was issued. The would-be assassin is in custody (via NBC News):
Footage showing the Stabbing Attack earlier against the Leader of the Democratic Party of South Korea, Lee Jae-myung while he was Speaking to a Crowd in the Southeastern City of Busan. pic.twitter.com/uEAabsxzmX
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) January 2, 2024
SHOCKING - SEE IT: South Korean opposition leader Lee Jae-myung stabbed in the neck at press event. WATCH https://t.co/N1JJp9Jobx
— Simon Ateba (@simonateba) January 2, 2024
South Korea's opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung was stabbed in the neck during a visit to the southern city of Busan and was airlifted to a university hospital for treatment, party and fire officials said https://t.co/C28ceNGEoh pic.twitter.com/AN2s7xcqPL
— Reuters (@Reuters) January 2, 2024
A police official in the southeastern city of Busan said the injury to Lee Jae-myung, chairman of South Korea’s Democratic Party, was non life-threatening. A male suspect is in custody, the official said.
Photos of Lee showed him on the ground surrounded by people. In the images, someone is seen pressing something against Lee’s neck.
Another image shows Lee being carried on a stretcher outfitted with what appears to be a neck brace.
The official described the wound as less than half an inch long. Lee was conscious and experienced little blood loss, the official told NBC News in an interview.
South Korea's President, Yoon Suk Yeol, ordered police and other officials to respond quickly to the incident and ensure Lee receives "the best of care," a presidential spokesperson said.
This isn’t the first time an Asian political leader has been attacked in such a manner. In July of 2022, former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated by a man wielding a custom-made shotgun in Nara.