South Korean Opposition Leader Stabbed With Knife During Press Briefing

• South Korean opposition leader Lee Jae-Myung was attacked with a knife while addressing a press conference in Busan
• Lee's Democratic Party of Korea spokesperson, Kwon Chil-Seung, said the official would undergo surgery
• The police said the attacker had not disclosed his identity or motive which compelled him to commit the heinous act

Nancy Odindo, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics, news, and feature stories across digital and print media in Kenya.

South Korean opposition leader Lee Jae-Myung has been stabbed in the neck during a press conference in the southern port city of Busan.

He was immediately airlifted to Seoul National University Hospital.

According to Kwon Chil-Seung, Lee's Democratic Party of Korea spokesperson, as reported by the BBC, the medical staff suspected an injury to his jugular vein, which carries blood from the head to the heart, and hence would undergo immediate surgery to avoid further bleeding.

"After being transferred to Seoul National University Hospital, we plan to operate quickly. We strongly condemn the attack and consider it a clear act of democracy destruction," he said.

However, the police stated that the wound was not life-threatening.

Who stabbed Lee Jae-Myung?

As per the reports, the official was initially approached by a man suspected to be in his 60s or 70s, asking for an autograph before suddenly stabbing him from the left side.

Officers said that the attacker's identity and motive are yet to be known.

In the shared clip, after the incident, Lee fell into the crowd before reaching the ground, with the support of the people who attended his Tuesday, January 2, function.

In the 2022 presidential elections, Lee, aged 59, narrowly lost to current President Yoon Suk Yeol by a mere 0.73% difference in votes, marking the closest presidential race in South Korean history.

It is widely anticipated that he will run in the upcoming presidential elections in 2027.

Raila Odinga stoned in Uasin Gishu

In other news, Kenya's opposition leader Raila Odinga was stoned in Uasin Gishu county during a political rally by rowdy youths.

The then Interior Cabinet secretary, Fred Matiang'i, stated that the unfortunate incident was orchestrated by politicians, as the suspects were found in possession of similar KSh 50 notes.

“It was planned because we have arrested suspects with a lot of money in Kshs. 50 notes. Clearly, there must have been some choreography behind that because it’s not coincidental that the suspects had so much money in the same denominations, and some of them were distributing it around that particular time,” Matiang'i said.