South Korean opposition leader Lee Jae-myung was stabbed in the neck on Tuesday while speaking to journalists in the port city of Busan. Footage aired on South Korean television showing Lee on the ground while someone held a scarf around his neck. For its part, social networks were filled with videos recording the moment of the attack. WARNING: SENSITIVE CONTENT.
BREAKING: South Korean opposition leader Lee Jae-myung has been stabbed in the neck
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) January 2, 2024
The images show how a man lunges at Lee and hits him with an object, apparently a knife or other sharp object. The political leader collapses and several people run to help him. The attacker, according to the South Korean Yonhap agency, is a 67-year-old South Korean man. A police officer said in a press conference that the attacker used an 18 cm long knife.
Lee was conscious when he was taken to hospital while the attacker was detained at the scene of the assault. According to sources from his political background, the candidate is conscious and has been admitted to hospital.
Lee, head of the Democratic Party, lost last year's presidential election to conservative Yoon Suk Yeol.
