South Korean opposition leader Lee Jae-myung narrowly escaped death when he was stabbed in the neck and remains in serious condition, a lawmaker from his party said Wednesday. After visiting the site of a new airport on Tuesday, Lee Jae-myung was walking through the port city of Busan, surrounded by a swarm of journalists and supporters, when a man stabbed him in the neck.
The politician suffered a jugular vein injury and was first taken to a hospital in Busan and then flown to the capital Seoul where he underwent a two-hour surgery. He is currently recovering in the intensive care unit. "Medical personnel in Busan said that if the attacker's knife had hit Lee's carotid artery, he could have been killed instantly," Democratic Rep. Jung Chung-rae told a Democratic Party meeting on Wednesday. "Lee Jae-myung is currently recovering in intensive care but his condition is so serious that visits are difficult," he added.
'Absolutely shocking' confession
Police said Wednesday they would seek an arrest warrant for the 66-year-old suspect, identified only by his last name Kim, who was arrested at the scene, according to Yonhap news agency. The purpose of the warrant is to keep the suspect in custody. A search warrant for the suspect's home and office has been issued as part of the investigation, Yonhap said, adding that police are looking for the motive for the attack as a priority.
South Korean authorities are considering filing an attempted murder charge against the attacker, who told police, according to Yonhap, that his intention was to kill Lee. "The attacker's confession that he intended to kill is absolutely shocking," said lawmaker Chung-rae Jung. Lee Jae-myung narrowly conceded victory in the 2022 presidential election to his opponent, Yoon Suk Yeol, the current conservative president of South Korea. Lee Jae-myung is tipped to run for president again in 2027.