People Power Party lawmaker Rep. Bae Hyun-jin was attacked by an unidentified assailant in the Gangnam district of Seoul on Thursday, resulting in a head injury. Despite the attack, her office reported that she remains in stable condition. The incident occurred around 5 p.m., when a male pedestrian questioned Bae’s identity and then struck her with a rock.
According Yonhap News Agency, she was immediately transported to Soonchunhyang University Hospital. Dr. Park Sukh-que, who treated Bae, reported that she was conscious upon arrival and showed no signs of life-threatening injuries. The attacker, claiming to be 15 years old, was arrested by the police. CCTV footage revealed that the attack lasted about 10 seconds, during which Bae was struck multiple times.
Bae, a former television news anchor, was elected to the National Assembly in 2020 and briefly served as a spokesperson for then President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol in 2022. The attack on her comes just weeks after another high-profile political figure, Lee Jae-myung, leader of the opposition Democratic Party, was also attacked.
Following the incident, political leaders across the spectrum united in condemning the attack and calling for a thorough investigation. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo instructed law enforcement authorities to ensure the safety of key figures and thoroughly investigate the case, emphasizing the seriousness of such attacks on the foundation of democracy. The People Power Party and the Democratic Party both expressed their determination to address political terrorism and the spread of hatred in politics.