A South Korean ruling party lawmaker, Bae Hyun-jin, was hospitalized after being struck on the head with a rock by an unidentified assailant in Seoul's upscale Gangnam district. The incident occurred on Thursday and the male assailant, who claimed to be 15 years old, was apprehended at the scene of the attack.

According to Yonhap news agency, Bae, 40, was bleeding and her condition was initially described as "not life threatening." She was swiftly taken to Soon Chun Hyang University Hospital in Seoul for further medical treatment. Reports indicate that she sustained the blow to the back of her head.

The assailant allegedly approached Bae, inquiring about her name before assaulting her. The Gangnam police station has not provided additional details regarding the assailant's motive or identity at this time.

Bae, a former news anchor, previously served as President Yoon Suk-yeol's spokesperson during his time as the president-elect. Han Dong-hoon, the People Power Party's interim leader, visited Bae at the hospital and informed the media that she had lost a significant amount of blood but was now in the process of recovery. Bae herself reassured the public, urging them not to worry too much as she was overcoming the situation well.

The incident has raised serious concerns among political circles, with the People Power Party expressing worry about the escalation of violence and political terrorism in an era characterized by extreme politics and hatred. The opposition Democratic Party condemned the attack as an assault on democracy and labeled it as political terrorism.

This attack follows a similar incident a month ago when the country's opposition party leader, Lee Jae-myung, was stabbed in the neck while speaking to reporters in the port city of Busan. Several other prominent South Korean politicians have also been targeted in public attacks in recent years, including Song Young-gil and Park Geun-hye.

South Korea is generally considered a safe country, with a relatively low murder rate of 1.3 per 100,000 people in 2021, according to official statistics. However, these recent incidents have raised concerns, prompting police to affirm their willingness to use firearms when necessary to maintain public safety. Authorities are yet to provide further details regarding their investigation into the attack on Bae Hyun-jin.

In light of these incidents, there is a growing emphasis on the need to address the rising trend of violence in the political landscape and ensure the safety of lawmakers and public figures in South Korea.