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South Korean President Lee Jae Myung Vows to Serve People After Surviving 2024 Knife Attack

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said he survived a 2024 knife attack thanks to people's support and will devote himself wholly to the country. Lee was stabbed in the neck by a 67-year-old man posing as a supporter during a visit to Busan and was airlifted to Seoul for surgery. The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission initially ruled the airlift as preferential treatment but later overturned the decision, citing it was within authority. Lee posted on social platform X, thanking citizens and vowing to build a country solely for the people.

Key Points: Lee Jae Myung: People Saved Me from 2024 Knife Attack

  • President Lee Jae Myung survived a knife attack in Busan in January 2024
  • The attack was carried out by a 67-year-old man posing as a supporter
  • The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission initially ruled his airlift to Seoul as preferential treatment
  • The commission overturned the decision, citing it was within authority
  • Lee vows to build a country solely for the people
2 min read

People saved me from 2024 knife attack: South Korean Prez vows to devote himself to country

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung says people saved him from a 2024 knife attack, vowing to devote himself entirely to the country after civil rights commission overturns airlift ruling.

"My life now belongs entirely to the people. - Lee Jae Myung"

Seoul, May 9

South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung said Saturday he survived a 2024 knife attack thanks to people's support and will devote himself wholly to the country, a day after the state civil rights commission overturned an earlier decision with regard to his airlift to Seoul from Busan at the time of the attack.

Lee was stabbed in the neck by a 67-year-old man posing as a supporter during a visit to the southeastern city of Busan on Jan. 2, 2024, and was transported by helicopter to Seoul National University Hospital from Pusan National University Hospital for surgery, reports Yonhap news agency.

At the time, the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission determined the airlift as preferential treatment not allowed for ordinary people, and said that the medical staff and rescue workers involved in the decision deserve disciplinary measures for violating their code of conduct.

But the commission overturned the decision Friday, saying the airlift was carried out within its scope of authority.

On Saturday, Lee posted a message on social platform X with a link to a news report on the commission's decision, saying that people saved him from the terrorist murder attempt, a "judicial murder through fabricated indictments by the prosecution" and an "honour killing using manipulated media."

"My life now belongs entirely to the people," Lee said. "What I have to do is to build a country solely for the people and create a power that operates solely for the people. ... My fellow citizens. I am truly grateful. Even if my body breaks down, to the very last moment, I will devote my heart and all my strength to the people."

At the time of the knife attack, Lee was the leader of the then main opposition Democratic Party and ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol was in office. The commission has found in a recent internal probe that the then deputy chief of the commission exercised undue influence in the commission's decision that the airlift breached the code of conduct.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
The whole airlift controversy is interesting. In our country too, VIPs often get special treatment that common people never get - like ambulance passes or hospital beds. But this reversal by the commission seems fair, since it was a genuine emergency. Lee was attacked, not asking for favours. The then deputy chief probably overstepped earlier.
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Michael C
This is political melodrama at its finest. Lee is spinning a narrative - calling it 'judicial murder' and 'honour killing' through manipulated media. In India, we've seen leaders use attacks on themselves to gain sympathy and consolidate power. Lee is doing the same thing, targeting the prosecution and media. Smart politics, but let's not pretend this is pure devotion.
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Vikram M
South Korea's political landscape is something else! Yoon Suk Yeol ousted, now Lee back with this emotional statement. The way he ties personal survival to national duty echoes what we see in Indian politics too - leaders becoming larger than life after such incidents. But I appreciate his focus on 'power operating solely for the people'. We need more such rhetoric in India.
S
Sarah B
The 67-year-old attacker fooling everyone by posing as a supporter is what scares me the most. Ditto in India - we've had so many instances where attackers hide behind religious or political masks. Security needs to be beefed up for all leaders, not just high-profile ones. The airlift controversy just adds another layer of drama.
R
Rohit P
Lee's statement about building a country 'solely for the people' is powerful, but actions speak louder. In India, we've seen countless such promises after attacks or tragedies - from Raj

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