Prison for Man Who Slashed U.S. Ambassador in South Korea
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Version 0 of 1. SEOUL, South Korea — A South Korean man who attacked the American ambassador to Seoul with a kitchen knife this year was sentenced on Friday to 12 years in prison for attempted murder. The ambassador, Mark W. Lippert, suffered serious wounds that required surgery and multiple stitches on the right side of his face and neck, as well as his left arm. His attacker, Kim Ki-jong, was apprehended at the scene of the attack, which took place in March at a breakfast gathering in central Seoul where Mr. Lippert was scheduled to give a speech. Mr. Kim has insisted that he never intended to kill Mr. Lippert. He said that the violent act was intended to call attention to his political activism, including the demand that the United States and South Korea stop annual joint military exercises which he said had raised tensions with North Korea. But on Friday, the Central District Court in Seoul ruled that Mr. Kim had inflicted injuries serious enough to justify finding him guilty of attempted murder through “willful negligence.” Prosecutors had also charged Mr. Kim with violating South Korea’s anti-Communist National Security Law because they said the attack was inspired by North Korea. They cited publications deemed pro-North Korean that were found at Mr. Kim’s home and office. But the court threw out that charge, ruling that this was not enough evidence. Both Mr. Kim and prosecutors have a week to appeal the ruling. The attack shocked South Koreans because such brazen hostility against a foreign envoy had been almost unheard-of in their nation and because it was directed against the ambassador from the United States, South Korea’s most important ally. South Koreans responded with an outpouring of good wishes for Mr. Lippert while he was hospitalized. After being hospitalized for several days, he returned to work, continuing what he called “open and friendly” dealings with South Koreans. |