According to police and fire officials in South Korea, a member of the governing party, lawmaker Bae Hyunjin, is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital in Seoul following an assault on Thursday. The attack, carried out by an unidentified individual who struck her head with an object resembling a rock, occurred in southern Seoul. Authorities in Seoul’s Apgujeong district confirmed that a suspect was apprehended at the scene.
This incident, occurring in the aftermath of a recent stabbing of opposition lawmaker Lee Jae-Myung in Busan, underscores concerns about the deeply divided political landscape in South Korea. The extent of Bae's injuries remains uncertain. However, a police source, speaking anonymously due to restrictions on media communication, mentioned that Bae was conscious as she was transported to the hospital.
Reports from South Korean media outlets suggest that Bae's injuries are not life-threatening, as stated by her aides, although attempts to reach her office for confirmation were unsuccessful. In a similar case, the assailant who attacked opposition leader Lee expressed intentions of preventing him from potentially assuming the presidency. Lee was discharged from the hospital after receiving treatment for eight days.
Bae, a former television news presenter, assumed office in 2020 and is known to have a close relationship with President Yoon Suk Yeol. Thae Yong Ho, a lawmaker from Bae's conservative People Power Party, condemned the attack on her, labeling it as an act of "terror" that poses a significant threat to South Korea's democratic values. He emphasized the urgent need to halt the propagation of politics driven by animosity, rage, and violence in the nation.
