(Bloomberg) — South Korea’s main opposition party leader Lee Jae-myung was stabbed in the neck by an unidentified assailant during a visit to the southern coastal city of Busan and rushed to a hospital.
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Lee’s injuries do not appear to life-threatening, Kang Taijung, an official from Lee’s office, said in a text message. Lee collapsed after the attack Tuesday and the assailant was arrested at the scene, Yonhap News reported.
Video of the incident appears to show Lee walking through a crowd of reporters when a man jabs an item into the neck of the political leader. Lee had been touring the site of a new airport in Busan.
The suspect tried to appear as if he were a supporter of Lee and approached him asking for an autograph, Yonhap said. The suspect then stabbed Lee with an object about 20 to 30 centimeters (8-12 inches) in length, Yonhap cited witnesses as saying.
Authorities have not provided details on what may have been the motive for the assault.
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Upon hearing about the attack on Lee, President Yoon Suk Yeol stressed that he doesn’t tolerate such acts of violence and instructed authorities to quickly investigate the case, according to a statement from the presidential office.
Lee was the Democratic Party’s nominee for the presidential election in 2022 and ran against Yoon.
Lee has also been faced various charges for alleged graft, which he has denied.
–With assistance from Shinhye Kang and Seyoon Kim.
(Updates with Lee’s condition and comments from the presidential office.)
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