A surgeon who operated on Lee Jae-Myung stated on Thursday that he was recovering from surgery to repair a significant vein that was severed in a knife attack two days prior. South Korean opposition leader leaves the ICU after being stabbed. Jae-myung, the chairman of the opposition Democratic Party in South Korea, was removed from intensive care on Thursday.
As the jugular vein injury was difficult to repair and post-operative complications could not be ruled out, Professor Min Seung-kee stated at a news briefing that Lee requires ongoing observation.
“(Lee) is thankfully recovering well,” said Min from the vascular surgery unit at Seoul National University Hospital.
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Lee was stabbed in the neck with a camping knife in Busan by a man in his sixties who pretended to be a supporter and confronted him at an outdoor public event. The assailant was apprehended and placed in police detention without delay.
The nation was astounded by the attack, which Lee’s party and its adversaries equally condemned. The incident rekindled concerns regarding the security of prominent legislators, given the nation’s track record of political unrest despite stringent firearm regulations.
The liberal opposition party, led by a former progressive lawyer with a penchant for harsh talk, is vying for parliamentary majority retention in April against the conservatives of President Yoon Suk Yeol.
An investigation is underway into the suspect, who reportedly has a history of holding extreme political beliefs on suspicion of attempted murder.
A court judge stated via telephone that the Busan District Court issued a warrant for his formal arrest, citing the seriousness of the charge against him and the likelihood of his evasion.
