South Korea's Conservative Party Chairwoman Slashed in Knife Attack

GNP Chairwoman 'Stable' After Slasher Attack
The Chosun Ilbo
May. 22, 2006

Main opposition leader Park Geun-hye was in stable condition Sunday after an assailant slashed her face with a box cutter on the campaign trail in Seoul a day earlier. Park sustained an 11-cm long cut to her face from ear to jaw that required 60 stitches and two hours of surgery, officials at Yonsei University's Severance Hospital in Seoul said. They predict it will be several months before the Grand National party chairwoman can speak normally again.

Park was attacked by a man identified by his surname Ji at around 7:30 on Saturday evening when she walked up to the podium to make a speech in support of the GNP candidate for Seoul mayor Oh Se-hoon. The eight-time convict leaped out from the crowd and slashed at her face.

The wound reaches from right below her right ear to her jaw and runs 3 cm to 1 cm deep. An official with the hospital said had the wound run 2 cm lower toward the neck, it would have cut her carotid artery and endangered her life. If the knife wound was 0.5 cm closer to her ear it could have severed her facial muscles and damaged them permanently, making it difficult for her to articulate or close her mouth. Dr. Tark Kwan-chul, who operated on Park, said it was miracle the knife missed both.

Park is reportedly stable and started to eat thin rice gruel on Sunday, a hospital official added.

The 50 year-old Ji, who has been out on probation since August after some 15 years in jail, also reportedly hit a GNP lawmaker during a rally against the controversial private school reform law last December. Police suspect that the assailant committed the crime out of a sense of grievance against society over his imprisonment.

Right after the attack, a Uri Party member identified as Park (52) caused a further disturbance at the scene, jumping onto the podium swearing and throwing down a microphone. The man has been a member of the party since March 2004 and donated W2,000 (US$2) every month to the ruling party since January last year. The Uri Party immediately revoked his membership.

The two were taken into custody. Police say they will bring charges of assault against Ji and violation of election law against the other man.