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Lee Jae-myung, the South Korea's leading opposition party politician on Tuesday was stabbed in the neck on his visit to the southern city of Busan, an attack that was described to be bloodied but conscious, according to the party officials.
It was reported that the main opposition party man was paying a visit to the construction site of the Gadeokdo New Airport when the incident happened. While he was being interviewed by the reporters, an attacker rushed and stabbed him on the left side of his neck, a spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said Lee suffered “suspected damage to his jugular vein” and doctors were concerned he may have additional bleeding, Kwon said, citing doctors.
“He will quickly undergo a surgery” at the Seoul National University Hospital, after having been transferred there from Busan, the spokesperson said, describing the attempt on Lee’s life an act of “terrorism” and “a serious threat to democracy.”
Earlier in the day Democratic Party’s floor leader Hong Ik-pyo said Lee was “in a conscious state” in a hospital.
The incident was covered on live television at the press conference. The footage revealed an unknown man suddenly leapt unexpectedly at him and stabbed him in the neck.
Many people quickly rushed to the attacker on his way down to the ground and incapacitated him.
South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol expressed “deep concern” for Lee’s safety after the attack, according to the presidential office.
Yoon emphasized such violence “should not be tolerated under any circumstances” and ordered the police to swiftly investigate, the office said.
Democratic Party floor leader Hong called for party members to remain calm and refrain from making political interpretations of the incident.
South Korea’s politics have been riven by deep polarization, particularly in recent years which saw former President Park Geun-hye jailed on abuse of power and bribery charges before being pardoned and released in 2021.
Lee, 59, a liberal former provincial governor, narrowly lost to Yoon of the conservative People Power Party in the presidential election in March 2022.
Lee became the leader of the Democratic Party five months later and has been gearing up his party for the parliamentary elections in April
South Korea has witnessed high-profile incidents of political violence in the past
Lee’s predecessor in the Democratic Party, Song Young-gil, was attacked in the head with a hammer by a man during a campaign event for Lee’s presidential bid in 2022.
Park, the former President, was attacked with a knife at a party rally in Seoul in 2006 when she served as the chairwoman of the country’s main opposition party at the time, the Grand National Party. She suffered a four-inch cut on her face that required 60 stitches and prevented her from talking normally for weeks.
Additional information from CNN
韓國主要反對派政治人物被單獨襲擊者刺傷頸部
週二，韓國主要反對黨政治家李在明在訪問南部城市釜山時頸部被刺，據反對黨官員稱，這次襲擊據稱血跡斑斑，但神智清醒。
據報道，主要在野黨人士正在視察加德島新機場建設工地。 一位發言人說，當他接受記者採訪時，一名襲擊者衝上來，刺傷了他的左側脖子。
權援引醫生的話稱，發言人稱李“疑似頸靜脈受損”，醫生擔心他可能會出現更多出血。
這位發言人表示，從釜山轉移到首爾國立大學院後，“他將 很快在首爾國立大學醫院接受手術”，並將刺殺李的行為描述為“恐怖主義”行為和“對民主的嚴重威脅」。
當天早些時候，民主黨院內代表洪益杓表示，李在鎔在醫院「處於清醒狀態」。
新聞發布會上電視直播了這一事件。 影片顯示，一名身份不明的男子突然出人意料地向他撲來，刺傷了他的脖子。
許多人迅速衝向攻擊者，攻擊者倒在地上，失去了行動能力。
據青瓦台稱，韓國總統尹錫烈在襲擊發生後對李明博的安全表示「深切關注」。
該辦公室表示，尹強調“在任何情況下都不應容忍此類暴力行為”，並命令警方迅速調查
民主黨院內代表洪呼籲黨員保持冷靜，不要對事件做出政治解讀。
韓國政壇因嚴重兩極化而四分五裂，尤其是近年來，前總統朴槿惠因濫用權力和賄賂指控入獄，隨後於 2021 年被赦免並釋放。
59歲的李明博是自由派前省知事，在2022年3月的總統選舉中以微弱優勢輸給了保守派人民力量黨的尹。
五個月後，李成為民主黨領袖，並一直在為四月的國會選舉做準備。
韓國過去曾發生過備受矚目的政治暴力事件
李明博的民主黨前任宋英吉在2022年李明博競選總統的競選活動中被一名男子用錘子襲擊頭部。
2006年，前總統朴槿惠在首爾的政黨集會上遭到持刀襲擊，當時她擔任當時該國主要反對黨大國家黨的主席。 她的臉上有一個四英寸長的傷口，縫了 60 針，導致她數週無法正常說話。
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