Lee was talking to reporters while touring the construction site of the Gadeokdo New Airport when he was stabbed in the left side of his neck, according to The Democratic Party.
According to South Korean media, witnesses saw a man use a knife-like weapon to stab Lee.
Video from the scene showed the attack on Lee. Additional footage showed Lee lying on the ground with a person putting pressure on his neck to stem the bleeding.
An official for the party Kang Taijung said that Lee was conscious but bleeding when he was taken to an area hospital.
Local media also reported that the alleged assailant, who was wearing a blue crown during the attack, was arrested on the spot.
President Yoon Suk Yeol, who defeated Lee in the 2022 presidential election by a slim margin, condemned the attack.
According to The New York Post, Lee is currently on trial for an alleged bribery scandal from when he was mayor of Seongnam. Lee has called the allegations a “political conspiracy."
The Associated Press stated that Lee's supporters see him as a reformer while critics believe he creates division by demonizing opponents.
This is a developing story.
