Attack with a stabbing weapon - South Korea's opposition leader Lee injured in attack
South Korea's opposition leader, former presidential candidate Lee Jae Myung, has been attacked and injured by a man with a stabbing weapon during a public appearance. Lee fell to the ground with a bleeding wound on his neck, South Korean broadcasters reported on Tuesday.
After receiving first aid at the scene of the attack in the south-eastern coastal metropolis of Busan, he was taken to hospital by helicopter. It was initially unclear how serious the injury was. According to reports from the national news agency Yonhap, the 59-year-old social liberal politician was conscious at the time of transportation.
Television footage showed how the suspected attacker was overpowered by several people shortly after the attack. The incident occurred when Lee was answering questions from journalists after visiting a construction site for a new airport on the island of Gadeok. The island is part of the port city of Busan.
The motives for the attack were initially unclear. According to reports, the attacker claimed to be a supporter of the leader of the Democratic Party (DP). The man, who was around 60 or 70 years old, had approached the politician with the request for an autograph when he suddenly attacked Lee with an initially unidentified, 20 to 30-centimetre-long stabbing weapon.
Parliamentary election in April
According to his office, President Yoon Suk Yeol expressed concern for Lee's safety. Yoon ordered a rapid investigation into the background of the attack. Such acts of violence could not be tolerated under any circumstances, he said. The incident occurred a few months before the planned parliamentary elections in April.
In the presidential election two years ago, Lee was narrowly defeated by the right-wing conservative Yoon. At the time, Lee had set himself the goal of renewing the politics of the strongly divided country. He also campaigned for the introduction of an unconditional basic income, among other things.
The election campaign at the time was overshadowed by an act of violence against Lee's predecessor as DP party leader, Song Young Gil, shortly before the election. Song was hit on the head with a solid object by a man. Song survived, but suffered injuries. In May 2006, the then opposition leader and later President Park Geun Hye was injured in the face in a knife attack.
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Source: www.stern.de
