Busan - In a swift response to the stabbing attack against opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, police conducted raids on Wednesday at the house and office of the suspect. Lee Jae-myung, the chairman of the Democratic Party (DP), remains hospitalized following surgery after the attack.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the suspect, a 67-year-old man with the surname Kim, assaulted Lee Jae-myung in Busan. The incident took place on Tuesday morning while Lee was visiting the city for a tour of a new airport construction site on Gadeok Island. Kim, posing as an autograph seeker, stabbed Lee in the neck and was immediately apprehended at the scene.
Further investigation led the police to search Kim's residence and his realtor's office in Asan, central South Korea, to uncover the motive behind the attack. The police are also pursuing an arrest warrant for Kim, likely on charges of attempted murder, following his admission to planning the killing.
Evidence pointing to premeditation, including the purchase and modification of a 17-centimeter mountaineering knife, has been uncovered. The police also noted that Kim had followed Lee's itinerary in southern cities, arriving in Busan the day before the attack.
In an additional investigative step, officers were dispatched to the offices of both the ruling People Power Party (PPP) and the DP to ascertain any political affiliations Kim may have. The police stressed the importance of determining whether Kim is a party member to fully understand his motives.
While the police initially believed Kim acted alone, the exact motive remains unclear. Meanwhile, Lee Jae-myung was transferred from the ICU to the general ward at Seoul National University Hospital after a two-hour surgery to treat an injury to his jugular vein. The attack has drawn unanimous condemnation from President Yoon Suk Yeol, rival parties, and the public, emphasizing that such violence is unacceptable.
The stabbing incident, occurring just 100 days before the parliamentary elections in April, has led both the PPP and DP to scale down their activities. The DP, in particular, has urged its members to focus on Lee's recovery and refrain from making political statements about the attack or the suspect.