South Korean opposition leader hopes for end to ‘politics of hate’ after attack

SEOUL – South Korea’s main opposition party leader, Lee Jae-myung, said on Jan 10 that he hoped a

stabbing attack he suffered

could mark the end of the “politics of hate”, as police said the man accused of attacking him told them he wanted to stop Lee from becoming president.

The opposition leader was speaking after he was discharged from a Seoul hospital, where he had been recovering since last week’s attack in the southern city of Busan.

“I hope this case which shocked everyone can serve as a milestone to end the politics of hate and confrontation and restore proper politics,” said Lee, who thanked medical staff at the hospital and vowed to serve his country.

South Korean politics has become increasingly polarised and heated ahead of a general election due in April, with President Yoon Suk-yeol’s conservative People Power Party and Lee’s Democratic Party neck and neck in the polls.

Lee was attacked in Busan by a man who lunged at him with a camping knife after asking for his autograph. Surgeons operated on Lee for more than two hours to repair the jugular vein in his neck.

The suspect, arrested on charges of attempted murder, appears to have been motivated by his own political beliefs, police told a briefing on the investigation.

The 67-year-old man, whom the authorities have not named, told police he wanted to prevent Lee from becoming president and his party from winning the election.

The suspect was also dissatisfied with how bribery charges against Lee have been handled. Lee is on trial over the charges, which he has denied.

The attack was condemned as an “act of terror” and a challenge to democracy by Mr Yoon and politicians from both the ruling and opposition parties.

Earlier, the alleged assailant told reporters as he was leaving a police station that he was sorry about the fallout from the attack.

Three members of the main opposition Democratic Party announced they would leave the party, citing disagreements over Lee’s leadership, while wishing him a swift recovery.

Though the Democratic Party and Mr Yoon’s People Power Party account for the majority of lawmakers in Parliament, a number of politicians on both sides of the aisle have indicated they plan to break away to form new parties to run in the general election in April. REUTERS