On 2 January 2024, Democratic Party of Korea leader Lee Jae-myung was stabbed while visiting the construction site of an airport in Gadeokdo, Busan.[5] Hospitalized at Pusan National University twenty minutes after the attack, Lee was subsequently transferred by helicopter to Seoul National University Hospital in a conscious state.[6][3] The suspect was arrested at the scene and said his intentions were to assassinate Lee.[2]
| Attempted assassination of Lee Jae-myung | |
|---|---|
 Lee speaking on 2 January 2024, shortly before the attack | |
| Location | Gadeokdo, Busan, South Korea |
| Date | 2 January 2024 10:27 a.m. KST[1] |
Attack type | |
| Weapons | Knife[3] |
| Injured | Lee Jae-myung |
| Accused | Kim Jin-sung[4] |
Background
Political violence has occurred several times before in South Korea.[7] In 2006, then-Grand National Party leader Park Geun-hye was attacked with a knife at an event, while her father Park Chung-hee was assassinated by his spy chief in 1979.[8] In 2015, U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Mark W. Lippert survived a stabbing attack while attending a breakfast conference in Seoul.[9] In 2022, then-Democratic Party of Korea leader Song Young-gil was attacked with a hammer.[10]
In 2022, Lee narrowly lost to Yoon Suk-yeol[11][10] in the closest presidential election in South Korean history.[12]
On 7 May 2022, Lee declared his candidacy in the June 2022 South Korean by-elections running for Incheon Gyeyang District B vacant seat in the National Assembly.[13] Lee won the seat in the elections on 1 June 2022. Afterwards, he was elected as the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea on 28 August.[14]
At the time of the attack, Lee was being prosecuted for corruption, accusations which he denied and said were politically motivated.[15] The attack took place nearly three months before the 2024 legislative election.[3]
Attack
On 2 January, Lee was holding a press conference at Gadeokdo New Airport.[16] At 10:27 a.m. KST,[1] an individual approached Lee and asked for an autograph before stabbing him on the left side of his neck.[8] Officials at the scene immediately shielded Lee, and one of them covered his neck with a cloth. It was reported that Lee was bleeding but remained conscious.[11] Lee was taken to an ambulance at 10:47 a.m. and arrived at the regional trauma center at Pusan National University Hospital at 11:16 a.m.[17] He was subsequently transferred by helicopter to Seoul National University Hospital in a conscious state.[6][3]
It was reported that Lee suffered a one-centimeter cut to his neck, with minor bleeding.[18] Medical officials at Pusan National University Hospital said that Lee sustained damage to his jugular vein, and were concerned about additional massive bleeding.[3]
Lee underwent emergency surgery at Seoul National University Hospital later in the day.[19][3][2] Democratic Party officials said that the surgery "took longer than expected" and medical officials were closely monitoring his progress.[2]
The event was recorded live, with video footage of the attack airing on South Korean broadcast stations.[19]
A witness said more than a dozen police officers were present at the moment of the attack.[20]
Suspect
A male[21] suspect, Kim Jin-sung, a real estate dealer[4] who was wearing a paper crown reading "I'm Lee Jae-myung" and was carrying a sign that said "200 seats at the National Assembly",[3][22] was promptly arrested.[23] He was reported to have been born in 1957.[2] In December 2023, he had attended an event where Lee headlined in Busan, with video footage showing the suspect waiting for Lee but being unable to make close contact.[2] The suspect was wearing the same paper crown.[2] At a press conference, police stated that the suspect had bought his weapon online.[16] The weapon used was described as an 18-centimeter-long knife.[3][2] Democratic Party spokesman Kwon Chil-seung said during a briefing that the attacker was believed to have used a sashimi knife.[19] One media outlet reported that he refused to answer questions about his motives.[6] Police obtained a warrant and searched his home.[24] The Busan Metropolitan Police Agency said it planned to charge Kim with attempted murder, as he confessed he intended to kill Lee.[2]
Reactions
President Yoon Suk Yeol stated that the stabbing was an "act of terror... and a serious threat to democracy" and ordered authorities to launch an investigation into the attack.[16][10] Democratic Party spokesman Kwon Chil-seung stated, "This incident is a terror attack on Representative Lee Jae-myung and a serious threat to democracy that should not happen under any circumstances."[19]
Yoon Hee-keun, Commissioner General of the National Police Agency, announced the formation of a special investigation team in Busan to conduct an inquiry into the attack.[2]