South Korea’s main opposition party, the Democratic Party, requested police protection for its leader, Lee Jae-myung, on Wednesday. The request came after the party uncovered an alleged plot to kill Lee. As a result, Lee was forced to skip a planned rally protesting suspended president Yoon Suk-yeol.
A spokesperson for the party revealed that they had received a tip-off about a plot involving retired secret agents. According to the tip, these agents planned to use Russian-made contraband guns to eliminate Lee. Hwang Jung-ah, the party spokeswoman, shared this information with reporters. She mentioned that numerous lawmakers, including party leadership, had received text messages claiming that Russian pistols were to be smuggled in to assassinate Lee.
The tip came from a former military intelligence officer, who warned Lee to avoid public appearances until the threat subsides. Due to the seriousness of the warning, Lee decided not to take part in the planned march later that day.
In response to the threat, acting police chief Lee Ho-young assured the National Assembly that a thorough investigation would be conducted. He acknowledged the rising number of online threats targeting both ruling and opposition leaders, Yonhap reported.
Lee, who was previously injured in a knife attack last year, has led protests against President Yoon. He has also pushed the Constitutional Court to uphold Yoon’s impeachment. Some of Lee’s party members have even gone on hunger strikes and shaved their heads to increase pressure on the court. The court is set to announce its verdict soon. If Yoon is removed from office due to his brief declaration of martial law on December 3, a snap election will be required within 60 days.
Lee, who previously served as the governor of Gyeonggi province, lost the 2022 presidential race to Yoon. As a potential front-runner for the next presidential election, Lee is also facing trial for alleged bribery connected to a development project during his time as mayor of Seongnam. Additionally, he was handed a suspended one-year prison sentence for violating election laws. If upheld, this decision would make Lee ineligible to run for office in the next five years.
