Man charged over stabbing of S Korea opposition leader Lee Jae-myung

A man suspected of stabbing South Korea's opposition leader, Lee Jae-myung, on Tuesday has been formally arrested and charged with attempted murder. The suspect, a man in his 60s known as Kim, was apprehended and taken into police custody immediately following the attack. The politician, Lee Jae-myung, has since been released from intensive care.

The incident occurred in the southern port city of Busan, where Lee was stabbed in the neck with a camping knife. The attacker allegedly disguised himself as a fan seeking an autograph. One of the surgeons who operated on Lee informed the media that the victim is steadily recovering after a successful surgery to repair a major vein in his neck. However, Professor Min Seung-kee expressed concerns about potential post-surgery complications and the risk of additional infection due to the severity of the injury.

The motive behind the attack remains unclear, although Kim reportedly submitted an eight-page note to the police explaining his reasons. He also confessed to the police that his intention was to kill Lee, as reported by the Yonhap news agency. The police investigation revealed that Kim had been tracking Lee since June of the previous year. Kim, who is known to hold extreme political views, purchased the knife used in the attack online. His formal arrest permits the police to retain him in custody. The incident has shocked the nation and raised concerns about the safety of high-profile politicians. The attack was condemned by both Lee's party and the country's ruling party. South Korea has stringent regulations regarding the possession of firearms and other weapons, and public figures are not typically under heavy security protection. Despite the country's generally low crime rate, there has been an increase in mass stabbing attacks in the past year. There have also been several instances of politicians being targeted with weapons. Lee, the leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DP), is aiming to maintain a parliamentary majority in the upcoming April elections, after narrowly losing the 2022 presidential elections by a mere 0. 73% difference in votes to President Yoon Suk Yeol's conservative party.