Anchor: A teenager attacked a ruling People Power Party lawmaker on Thursday, sending her to the hospital with a head injury. The police apprehended the 15-year-old before admitting him to a psychiatric ward on Friday, as rival political parties denounced violence against politicians.
Max Lee has more.

Report: Ruling People Power Party(PPP) lawmaker Bae Hyun-jin was the victim of an attack by a teenager on Thursday that sent her to the hospital and the perpetrator to a psychiatric facility.

The TV broadcaster-turned-lawmaker was transported to Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital and had her bleeding wound stapled after being struck on the head 15 times with a blunt object during Thursday's attack.

She remains hospitalized and is reportedly in stable condition.

According to the police on Friday, the 15-year-old suspect, who was apprehended at the site of the attack, told investigators at the Seoul Gangnam Police Station that he had run into the lawmaker by chance and the attack was not premeditated.

After the interrogation with the boy’s guardian present, the police decided to admit him to a psychiatric ward in accordance with the law permitting the forcible institutionalization of people with mental illness that pose a potential threat to themselves or others for up to three days.

With the attack against the PPP lawmaker coming just weeks after main opposition Democratic Party(DP) leader Lee Jae-myung was stabbed, both rival parties condemned the attack on Friday, calling for an end to political hatred.

PPP floor leader Yun Jae-ok lamented the lack of change despite the attack on the DP leader, adding that the parties need to improve themselves before the vicious cycle of hatred destroys political norms.

DP floor leader Hong Ihk-pyo called the attack against Bae an act of terrorism, urging the authorities to take special measures to address the recurrence of such unfortunate incidents.

President Yoon Suk Yeol also spoke out, saying acts of terrorism against politicians who represent the public is tantamount to terrorism against the people.

Bae, meanwhile, gave a statement to the police on Friday demanding that the suspect be held accountable to the full extent of the law, discounting any consideration for leniency.
Max Lee, KBS World Radio News.