South Korea opposition leader Lee Jae-myung stabbed, local media reports

South Korea’s opposition party leader Lee Jae-myung has been attacked during a visit to the southern port city of Busan, the country’s Yonhap news agency reported.

Lee was stabbed on the left side of his neck with a weapon by an unidentified man, Yonhap said.

He approached Lee asking for an autograph, then suddenly lunged forward and attacked him, news reports said. The assailant was quickly subdued and arrested at the scene, Yonhap said.

News photographs published showed Lee lying on the ground with his eyes closed and other people around him pressing a handkerchief against the side of his neck.

Lee was conscious as he was taken to hospital, Yonhap said.

Chief of the Democratic Party, Lee lost to conservative Yoon Suk Yeol in a tight presidential race last year.

President Yoon called the attack on Lee “unacceptable”.

Although there are strict restrictions on gun possession, South Korea has a history of political violence involving other types of weapons.

Then conservative opposition party leader Park Geun-hye, who later served as president, was attacked at an event in 2006 with a knife and suffered a gash on her face that required surgery.

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Reuters and Agence France-Presse contributed to this report