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South Korea’s opposition leader Lee Jae-myung has been stabbed in the neck by an unidentified assailant during a visit to the southern port city of Busan on Tuesday.
Mr Lee was attacked as he visited the construction site of a new airport in the city, said an emergencies agency official.
The assailant, described as a man in his 50s or 60s, initially approached Lee for an autograph, before lunging and attacking him. The man was quickly subdued and taken into custody.
Pictures taken by journalists at the scene show Mr Lee collapsing to the ground with his eyes closed as others press a handkerchief against the side of his neck.
Mr Lee, who leads the main opposition Democratic Party, has been transferred to hospital.
President Yoon Suk Yeol’s office issued a statement condemning the attack, saying it was an unacceptable act. The president also expressed deep concern for Mr Lee and urged he be given the best care so he can make a speedy recovery, his office said.
A liberal former provincial governor, Mr Lee lost the 2022 presidential election to president Yoon Suk-yeol by a narrow margin. Known for his outspoken style, he is seen by supporters as an anti-elitist hero who could reform establishment politics, eradicate corruption and solve growing economic inequality. Critics view him as a dangerous populist who relies on stoking divisions and demonising his conservative opponents.
Mr Lee is currently on trial for alleged bribery stemming from a development project when he was mayor of Seongnam near Seoul. Mr Lee has denied any wrongdoing, calling the allegations “fiction” and a “political conspiracy”.
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