In a country where firearms are largely prohibited, the leading contender for South Korea's presidency has taken extraordinary measures to safeguard himself. Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party's candidate, has recently initiated his campaign while wearing a bulletproof vest and speaking behind protective glass, a departure from the norm in South Korean elections.
Last month, during the campaign launch, Mr. Lee removed his suit jacket to reveal the stark white bulletproof vest, subsequently donning his party's signature blue jacket as he engaged with supporters. At one event, enthusiastic fans urged him to stay behind the protective barrier after he briefly exited its safety zone. Mr. Lee's campaign has restricted media access, permitting only a few journalists to accompany him on his national tour, further heightening the atmosphere of caution.
The necessity for such heightened security stems from a traumatic incident last January in which Mr. Lee was the target of an assassination attempt, where he was stabbed in the neck by an assailant seeking an autograph. This incident starkly illustrates the growing political polarization in South Korea. Recently, the National Police Agency reported multiple online threats against Mr. Lee, with one case escalated to the attention of prosecutors.
Political violence, while not commonplace in South Korea, has seen an unsettling increase, accentuated by previous attacks on political figures. Notably, in 2006, former president Park Geun-hye endured a knife attack, and in 2022, Song Young-gil, then-leader of the Democratic Party, survived a hammer assault. According to Professor Yoon Taeyoung, a terrorism and crisis management expert at Kyungnam University, the threat level facing candidates in this election is unprecedented, urging a reevaluation of safety practices within South Korean politics.
Last month, during the campaign launch, Mr. Lee removed his suit jacket to reveal the stark white bulletproof vest, subsequently donning his party's signature blue jacket as he engaged with supporters. At one event, enthusiastic fans urged him to stay behind the protective barrier after he briefly exited its safety zone. Mr. Lee's campaign has restricted media access, permitting only a few journalists to accompany him on his national tour, further heightening the atmosphere of caution.
The necessity for such heightened security stems from a traumatic incident last January in which Mr. Lee was the target of an assassination attempt, where he was stabbed in the neck by an assailant seeking an autograph. This incident starkly illustrates the growing political polarization in South Korea. Recently, the National Police Agency reported multiple online threats against Mr. Lee, with one case escalated to the attention of prosecutors.
Political violence, while not commonplace in South Korea, has seen an unsettling increase, accentuated by previous attacks on political figures. Notably, in 2006, former president Park Geun-hye endured a knife attack, and in 2022, Song Young-gil, then-leader of the Democratic Party, survived a hammer assault. According to Professor Yoon Taeyoung, a terrorism and crisis management expert at Kyungnam University, the threat level facing candidates in this election is unprecedented, urging a reevaluation of safety practices within South Korean politics.
