South Korean opposition chief stabbed within the neck at press convention
- The 59-year-old politician had been touring the development web site of a brand new airport on Gadeok Island when he was stabbed in neck
- Video shared on social media exhibits Lee strolling by means of a gaggle of reporters when an unidentified man lunges at him with a knife
- Lee, the chief of the principle opposition Democratic Party, on Saturday rejected former social gathering chief Lee Nak-yon’s name for his resignation
The chief of South Korea‘s opposition social gathering is aware after being stabbed within the neck by a person who lunged at him throughout a press convention – along with his attacker refusing to cooperate with the police.
Graphic video exhibits Lee Jae-myung, a left-leaning 2022 presidential candidate, being attacked throughout a go to to the southern port metropolis of Busan. He was airlifted to a neighborhood college hospital, and isn’t thought of to be in a vital situation, AP reported.
The attacker was instantly wrestled to the bottom and arrested, however is but to be named and no motive has been given. He was refusing to reply police questions on his motives, each day Busan Ilbo reported. He additionally refused to establish himself, in response to Yonhap information company.
He gave the impression to be aged in his 50s or 60s, and sporting a paper crown with Lee’s identify on it. He approached Lee asking for an autograph, then all of the sudden lunged ahead and attacked him, information stories mentioned.
Lee, the chief of the principle opposition Democratic Party, on Saturday rejected former social gathering chief Lee Nak-yon’s name for his resignation.
The 59-year-old politician had been touring the development web site of a brand new airport on Gadeok Island, and was focused throughout a question-and-answer session with reporters.
Lee was seen mendacity on the bottom along with his eyes closed and fingers of different individuals round him urgent a handkerchief in opposition to the aspect of his neck.
Lee Jae-myung was pictured on the bottom with a handkerchief masking the wound to his neck after the assault
The assault passed off because the politician toured the development web site of a brand new airport in Busan on January 2 (pictured)
Lee Jae-myung, the chief of the principle opposition Democratic Party in South Korea, speaks throughout a gathering of the social gathering’s Supreme Council in December
Lee has been taken to hospital.
Lee, a human rights lawyer, entered politics in 2005 and in 2010 turned the mayor of Seongnam, the Tenth-largest metropolis within the nation.
While mayor, he turned concerned in a improvement venture, and is at present on trial for alleged bribery within the metropolis. Lee has denied any wrongdoing, calling the allegations ‘fiction’ and a ‘political conspiracy.’
He resigned in 2018 for a profitable run for governor of Gyeonggi province – essentially the most populous within the nation, which encompasses the capital, Seoul. Seoul is administratively individually, nonetheless.
More than half of South Korea’s inhabitants reside in Gyeonggi.
Lee ran for the presidency in 2022, and narrowly misplaced to to Yoon Suk-yeol, the present president.
Lee is seen on March 4, 2022 taking a selfie with a person within the main election for president
Lee is pictured in 2020 posing for a phot whereas governor of Gyeonggi province
He rose to prominence with an aggressive pandemic response, a populist financial agenda, and by touting an outsider picture.
Lee campaigned on a pledge of introducing a common primary earnings of 1 million received ($800) per 12 months to each particular person, paid for by means of taxes on carbon emissions and a brand new, nationwide land possession tax, beneath which owners would pay taxes on the land their properties occupy.
He favored hotter relations with North Korea, saying on the marketing campaign path that he would ship envoys to the U.S. and Pyongyang to try to jumpstart diplomacy.
He mentioned he wished a roadmap of conditional sanctions reduction and phased simultaneous motion by North Korea, with a snapback mechanism beneath which sanctions could be restored if North Korea fails to observe by means of on denuclearization steps.
Lee additionally wished hotter relations with Japan, a historic rival.
Gender points emerged as a significant motivating issue for a lot of younger male voters, who complain of reverse discrimination – regardless of surveys that discover widespread misogyny and excessive wage gaps for girls.
Lee opposed his rival’s name for to abolish the gender equality ministry, however mentioned he helps dropping the phrase ‘girls’ from its official Korean-language title.
President Yoon Suk Yeol condemned the assault, saying it was unacceptable, his workplace mentioned.
He expressed deep concern for Lee and ordered that he be given the very best care, so he could make a speedy restoration, his workplace mentioned.
South Korea has strict gun management, however does have a historical past of political violence involving different weapons.
Lee’s predecessor, Song Young-gil was attacked in 2022 at a public occasion by an assailant who swung a blunt object in opposition to his head, inflicting a laceration.
Then conservative opposition social gathering chief Park Geun-hye, who later served as president, was attacked at an occasion in 2006 with a knife and suffered a gash on her confronted that required surgical procedure.
