Lee Jae-myung, the leader of South Korea’s largest opposition Democratic Party, was transported to the hospital on Tuesday morning after an unidentified assailant stabbed him during a question-and-answer session with media.
At 10:27 a.m., an unknown individual approached Lee and stabbed him on the left side of his neck, according to Yonhap news agency. The assailant was swiftly apprehended and arrested.
Several videos of the event circulated on social media, showing Lee surrounded by a mob of journalists before the guy charged at him with a knife.
Several photos making the rounds online show the politician lying on the ground with his eyes closed and people around him pressing a rag against his neck.
His condition was not immediately clear. According to Yonhap, Lee remained conscious, but the bleeding continued as he was taken to the hospital around 20 minutes after the attack.
Lee Jae-myung, 59, lost the 2022 presidential election to Yoon Suk-yeol by a margin of 0.73%, and is widely expected to run again in 2027.
President Yoon expressed deep concern over Lee’s safety, stressing that such violence should not be tolerated under any circumstances, according to his spokesperson.
