South Korea tightens security for opposition leader over suspected plot, Yonhap reports

SEOUL – The South Korean police started on March 18 providing additional security for the leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, after lawmakers had warned of a potential assassination plot targeting Mr Lee Jae-myung, the Yonhap News Agency reported.

The move comes after the party had last week urged the police to ramp up security for Mr Lee after some of its lawmakers said they were tipped off about an assassination plot against him.

The police did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In January 2024, Mr Lee

was stabbed in the neck

by a man who lunged at him with a knife after asking for his autograph.

The man was sentenced to 15 years in prison, according to media reports.

Tensions have been running high in South Korea since President Yoon Suk Yeol

briefly imposed martial law

in December 2024, triggering the country's worst political crisis in decades.

His martial law imposition and its fallout have widened deep social rifts between conservatives and liberals and put pressure on institutions.

Mr Yoon faces a criminal trial on

charges of insurrection,

while the Constitutional Court is also expected to rule in coming days on whether to uphold his impeachment and permanently strip him of his powers.

The police have been

preparing for the risk of clashes,

with both Mr Yoon's supporters and his opponents due to hold large rallies when the court makes its decision.

South Korea’s acting President Choi Sang-mok repeated on March 18 a call for citizens to accept and respect the court’s ruling.

Hundreds of Yoon supporters

stormed a court building in January

after his detention was extended, smashing windows and other items, an attack the acting leader called “unimaginable”. REUTERS