Man who stabbed South Korean opposition leader Lee Jae-myung sentenced to 15 years in prison

A South Korean court sentenced a man to 15 years in prison for stabbing leader of the opposition Democratic Party Lee Jae-myung, in the neck earlier this year. The attack occurred in January at an event in Busan, where the assailant approached Lee asking for an autograph before attacking him with a knife.

The Busan District Court found the man guilty of attempted murder and violating an election law, handing down the 15-year prison sentence. Both the defendant and prosecutors have one week to appeal the decision.

During questioning, the man told police that his intention was to kill Lee to prevent him from becoming the country's president.

The attack took place just before the crucial parliamentary elections in April, which resulted in a significant victory for Lee's Democratic Party and other opposition parties against President Yoon Suk Yeol's conservative governing party.

According to Yonhap news agency, the court's verdict described the attack as "a grave challenge" to the country's election systems and an act that "significantly destroys social consensus and confidence on the basic liberal democratic principles."

The verdict also said that the attacker had long harbored animosity towards Lee due to political differences, practiced stabbing his neck beforehand, and attended five public events where Lee was present.

The court did not disclose the attacker's identity, only referring to him by his surname, Kim. While the man is currently a member of the Democratic Party, having joined last year, reports suggest that he was previously affiliated with the predecessor of the People Power Party.

Lee, known for his sharp tongue and former role as a provincial governor, narrowly lost the 2022 presidential election to Yoon, a former top prosecutor. Their closely contested race and subsequent political bickering have further intensified the already toxic conservative-liberal divide in South Korea.

(With agency inputs)