Stabbed South Korean opposition chief Lee Jae-myung recovering after jugular vein reconstruction
- Lee Jae-myung received surgery to reconstruct and insert a tube to support the jugular vein that pumps blood from the head back to the heart
- He was stabbed on Tuesday by a man who reports say may have been in Busan for days planning the attack with an 18cm camping knife
Surgeons operated on Lee for more than two hours late on Tuesday to repair a major blood vessel in his neck that was sliced when an assailant lunged and stabbed him with a knife.
“The act of terror against Chairman Lee Jae-myung was clearly a challenge against democracy and a threat against democracy,” Democratic Party floor leader Hong Ik-pyo said at a party leadership council meeting.
The act of terror against Chairman Lee Jae-myung was clearly a challenge against democracy and a threat against democracy
He urged a speedy investigation and tougher security for high-profile political figures, echoing renewed questions about the safety on campaign trails in a country with a history of political violence despite tight restrictions on gun ownership.
Jin Jeong-hwa, a party supporter who was a witness at the scene of the stabbing, said the incident clearly showed the need for stronger and professional security protection for political leaders, not simply police who are deployed to monitor.
“People like opposition leaders really need a dedicated security detail,” Jin said in an interview. He added it was clear from his experience at political events that Lee was very much exposed to personal safety threats.