South Korea politician stabbed in the neck in public; massive bleeding feared

South Korea’s opposition party chief Lee Jae-myung was attacked during a visit to the southern port city of Busan on Tuesday, local media reported. He has been taken to the hospital, and while the wound is not life-threatening, officials told the news agency Yonhap that massive bleeding is feared.

The incident took place at 10.27 am local time and was caught on camera. Lee, who is the chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party, was answering questions from reporters after touring the construction site of a new airport on Busan’s Gadeok Island when an unknown man allegedly approached Lee as if to ask for an autograph and stabbed him on the left side of his neck, reported Yonhap.

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Developing story- South #Korea opposition chief Lee Jae-myung was stabbed in the neck during a visit to the southern port city of #Busan on Tuesday.pic.twitter.com/5A764m6QEg

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The attacker used an unidentified weapon approximately 20-30 centimeters in length, the agency reported citing eyewitnesses. The assailant, whos is in his 60s or 70s as per initial reports, was subdued and arrested at the scene. The identity and motive of the attacker is yet to be ascertained.

News photographs published showed Lee lying on the ground with his eyes closed and the hands of other people around him pressing a handkerchief against the side of his neck. His party said that there were worries about potential massive bleeding around Lee’s jugular vein.

Lee was transported to Pusan National University Hospital within 20 minutes of the attack where he underwent emergency treatment for a laceration of approximately 1 centimeter in his neck, said Yonhap quoting fire officials. Lee was later airlifted to Seoul National University Hospital for surgery.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has expressed deep concern over the incident and is making every effort to quickly transport Lee to a hospital and provide him with treatment, as per the President’s spokesperson. He added that such violence should never be tolerated under any circumstances, the spokesperson added, as per Yonhap.

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