Main opposition Democratic Party(DP) Chair Lee Jae-myung is recovering at an intensive care unit at Seoul National University Hospital following an operation on a stab wound inflicted in Busan on Tuesday.

DP spokesperson Kwon Chil-seung held a briefing in front of the hospital on Tuesday evening to provide updates on Lee’s treatment, which involved surgery to reconstruct blood vessels in the injured neck area that took about two hours, much longer than the expected one hour.

The DP chair, currently recovering in the intensive care unit, has reportedly regained consciousness after surgery but is not yet in a condition to visit with family or party officials.

Lee was attacked at around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday morning by a man in his late 60s while on a visit to Busan. The assailant approached the DP chief pretending to be a supporter before attacking him with an 18-centimeter-long knife.

Lee was transported to Pusan National University Hospital about 20 minutes after the stabbing took place, and was later moved to Seoul National University Hospital in Seoul by helicopter for surgery.