South Korean lawmaker attacked with rock, sparking safety concerns for politicians

South Korean ruling party lawmaker Bae Hyun-jin is currently being treated in a hospital in Seoul after being attacked by an unidentified person, who struck her in the head with a rock-like object. The incident took place in southern Seoul and the suspect was arrested at the scene, as reported by a police official in Seoul's Apgujeong district on Thursday. Bae, a former TV news anchor elected to South Korea's National Assembly in 2020, is a member of the People Power Party and was described by an aide as being asked, "Are you the lawmaker Bae Hyun-jin?" before being struck by the rock.

The severity of Bae's injuries wasn't immediately clear, but she was conscious as she was taken to the hospital, and her condition is thought to be not life-threatening. This attack comes shortly after another attack on an opposition lawmaker, Lee Jae-myung, who was stabbed in the neck in the city of Busan on January 2nd. The suspect in that attack confessed to wanting to kill Lee to prevent him from becoming a future president.

These attacks are raising concerns about the safety of politicians in South Korea, as incidents of violence against lawmakers are becoming more frequent. The motives behind these assaults remain unclear, and the authorities are continuing their investigations into these troubling events.