BUSAN

South Korean opposition get together chief Lee Jae-myung was stabbed within the neck on Tuesday whereas speaking to reporters within the port metropolis of Busan.

Lee was strolling in a crowd of journalists after visiting the positioning of a brand new airport when a person in entrance of him lunged and struck him within the neck, footage on South Korean tv channels confirmed.

The 59-year-old was seen collapsing to the bottom as folks rushed to help him. One man was seen urgent a handkerchief on Lee’s neck.

He was “walking to his car while talking to reporters when the attacker asked for his autograph”, a witness informed native broadcaster YTN, including that Lee was then struck with what “looked like a knife”.

Emergency responders have been seen carrying Lee into an ambulance. He was later taken to hospital on a helicopter, in keeping with the Yonhap information company.

The company mentioned he was bleeding however acutely aware as he was transported to the Pusan National University Hospital.

“This is an act of terror against Lee and a serious threat to democracy that should never occur under any circumstances,” Kwon Chil-seung, an MP from Lee’s Democratic Party, informed reporters exterior the hospital.

“As to Lee’s condition, we are waiting for the medical staff’s assessment,” he added, demanding a “thorough” police investigation into the assault.

Police in Busan mentioned Lee suffered a “one-centimetre laceration on his neck” and that he “remains conscious and bleeding is minor”, in keeping with South Korean information outlet Chosun Ilbo.

TV footage confirmed police officers wrestling the attacker to the bottom. He was seen carrying a hat with Lee’s title on it.

Yonhap mentioned the assailant has been arrested.