[Breaking] Lee Jae-myung attacked during Busan visit
Korea HeraldDEC 2023
SKorea: Opposition Leader Recovering From Surgery After Knife Attack
Image copyright:Â The Busan Daily News via Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
This shocking knife attack reflects how politically polarized South Korea is. The South risks dangerously descending into destructive chaos where incidents of political violence may be normalized if leaders from both sides fail to address the root causes. South Korea must isolate extremists and promote reconciliation to heal society.
Narrative B
It's unlikely that an alleged surge in political violence is behind this stabbing. As previously seen in South Korea and also in Japan, individual assailants are often either mentally insane or have personal grudges toward political leaders and may seize the opportunity to easily attack their targets when not in office. Rather than focusing on extremists, officials should improve accountability and openness.