What is Known About Stabbed Leader of South Korea’s Opposition

Reports came in early on Tuesday that the leader of South Korea’s main opposition Democratic Party, Lee Jae-myung, had been attacked in the south-eastern city of Busan, with the perpetrator arrested at the scene.

South Korean opposition politician Lee Jae-myung was stabbed in the neck by an attacker on January 2.

The chairman of South Korea’s Democratic Party had been visiting the site of the Gadeokdo New Airport in the southern port city of Busan.

After completing the tour in the morning, Lee found himself thronged by a crowd of people and the press when he was suddenly approached by a man ostensibly posing as a supporter.

The man, wearing a headpiece that read "I'm Lee Jae-myung" according to eyewitnesses, appeared to want Lee’s autograph. But he suddenly lunged at the politician, stabbing him in the neck with what some reports claim was an 18 cm blade knife.

The politician collapsed bleeding while people in the crowd overwhelmed the attacker. Images circulating on social media showed Lee being carried on a stretcher as he was transported first to Busan National University Hospital, and then airlifted to Seoul for surgery.

Trauma doctors were quoted as saying the politician had sustained a neck laceration of at least 1 cm. Local news reports suggested the injury was not life-threatening.

Lee’s attacker is under investigation for a possible charge of attempted murder. No details have yet been released about his motives.

Sohn Jae-han, leading detective from the Busan Regional Police, said in a briefing that the perpetrator confessed he “tried to kill” Lee.

“So far, doctors suspect that [Lee] may be suffering from jugular vein damages,” Kwon Chil-seung, a spokesperson for the Democratic Party, told a briefing.

“This incident is a terror attack to Representative Lee Jae-myung and a serious threat to democracy that should not happen under any circumstances,” Kwon stressed.

Who is Lee Jae-myung?

Lee Jae-myung is often touted as an example of a self-made success story.

Born in 1964 in an impoverished family in the city of Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, he was one of five sons and two daughters. After finishing elementary school, he began working at a handmade necklace factory instead of attending middle school to help his family make ends meet.

An industrial accident left him with a disability in his left wrist joint. After graduating from middle and high school, Lee was admitted to the Chung-Ang University Law School in Seoul in 1982 with a scholarship and a stipend.

Screenshot of photo showing South Korea's opposition leader Lee Jae-myung posing for a photo with his mother at his graduation from the Judicial Research and Training Institute back in 1989.

© Photo : Lee Jae-myung’s campaign

Upon passing the bar, he became a civil rights attorney. After Lee started a campaign for the founding of a municipal hospital in Seongnam. After that was rejected in 2004, he was persuaded to enter politics.

Lee Jae-myung's Political Career

The future leader joined a predecessor of the Democratic Party of Korea — the then-ruling Uri Party — in 2005. Lee was elected to the position of Mayor of Seongnam in 2010 and won a second term in 2014. His signature social welfare program gained him attention.

As Mayor, Lee unsuccessfully made a presidential bid in the 2017 election. He bounced back to win election as governor of Gyeonggi Province in 2018.

Lee, who is married with two sons, won the Democratic Party presdential primary for the 2022 election in October 2021. He ultimataley lost the election to conservative Yoon Suk Yeol of the People Power Party by a mere 0.7 percent margin — the closest-ever result in a South Korean presidential election.

Outspoken Critic of President Yoon

Since his election defeat in 2022, Lee has been a harsh critic of the South Korean President’s policies. Lee has claimed Yoon Suk Yeol mishandled the post-COVID-19 pandemic economy. When he ran for the presidency in 2022, Lee favored a better relationship with North Korea, arguing that diplomatic efforts needed to be revived.

"There's a river of distrust between them [North Korea and the United States]," he said. "Our role should be to open a dialogue channel, devise realisable plans and convince both sides so that they can cross that river."

When South Korean activists protested last year against Japan’s plan to release treated radioactive water from the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean, Lee launched a 24-day hunger strike. He vehemently protested the South Korean President’s failure to oppose Japan's decision.

The opposition Democratic Party leader said at the time they intended to hold the government of Yoon Suk-yeol responsible for "failing to do its duties." Lee slammed Japan's plan to discharge water from the Fukushima plant as an act of "terror."

Ahead of President Yoon Suk-yeol’s meeting with American President Joe Biden on April 26, 2023, the South Korean opposition called on the government to protest alleged spying by the US on officials. At the time, US media reported that a new trove of classified documents leaked online revealed that Washington's intelligence services eavesdropped on conversations at the South Korean presidential office regarding arms supply to Ukraine in early March.

Lee criticized the presidential office over the security breach.

"While it is absurd in itself that a country's presidential office has been infiltrated for eavesdropping, it is also difficult to accept the fact of eavesdropping on the presidential office of an allied country in terms of common sense," Lee said.

Scandal & Controversy

Lee’s reputation has been overshadowed by investigations into his business dealings dating back to his term as governor of Gyeonggi. The politician is now on trial for alleged bribery linked to a housing development project. Lee has denied any wrongdoing, calling the allegations “fiction” and a “political conspiracy” concocted by the government of Yoon Suk-yeol.

Supporters of Lee tout him as “anti-elitist,” able to stamp out corruption and reform “establishment politics.” Opponents believe he is a “populist.” Recent polls have shown that Lee, who is anticipated to run for president again in 2027, is a strong contender.