▲ President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Jan. 20, 2026. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
▲ This file photo taken Jan. 2, 2024, shows Lee Jae Myung, then leader of the main opposition Democratic Party, receiving emergency treatment after being stabbed in the neck by a man in the southeastern city of Busan. (Yonhap)

(LEAD) Lee-knife attack

(LEAD) Gov't designates 2024 knife attack on Lee as terror case

(ATTN: ADDS more details in last 3 paras, photo)

SEOUL, Jan. 20 (Yonhap) -- The government on Tuesday formally designated a 2024 knife attack on President Lee Jae Myung, which occurred while he was serving as opposition leader, as a terror case, the prime minister's office said.

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok presided over a meeting of the National Counterterrorism Committee, which concluded that the stabbing of Lee, then leader of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), constitutes an act of terrorism under the Act on Counter-Terrorism.

The designation marks the first time a specific incident has been formally classified as terrorism since the law came into force in 2016, providing the legal basis for an additional investigation into the case.

Lee was stabbed in the neck by a 67-year-old man during a visit to the southeastern city of Busan on Jan. 2, 2024, and subsequently underwent surgery and was hospitalized for treatment.

The DP has alleged that law enforcement authorities under the administration of former President Yoon Suk Yeol attempted to destroy evidence at the scene in an effort to downplay the severity of the incident.

Kim said the attack should never have occurred and pledged to review and strengthen the country's overall counterterrorism system to better protect public safety.

"As follow-up measures, (the government) will conduct an additional investigation into the case and beef up protection for major political figures during election campaigns to prevent similar incidents from recurring," the office said.

Following the designation, the National Investigation Headquarters under the National Police Agency said it has established a task force to investigate the case in a "transparent and objective" manner.

"We will do our best to uncover the truth now that the stabbing incident has been designated as a terror case," the headquarters said in a press notice.

According to officials, the task force will examine whether any parties colluded in connection with the case, why the incident was not initially classified as a terror attack, and whether evidence was destroyed during the early response by law enforcement authorities.

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