In Seoul on Thursday morning, the U.S. ambassador to South Korea was attacked by a man screaming about Korean unification.
Mark W. Lippert was rushed to a nearby hospital after a man dressed in a modern version of the traditional Korean hanbok attacked him, and cut his face and wrist, while yelling, “South and North Korea should be reunified.” He was on his way to a morning lecture when the attack occurred before 8 a.m.
The assailant – identified as 55-year-old Kim Ki-jong – was apprehended by police, but reportedly continued to scream anti-war slogans in their custody.
A State Department spokeswoman said that the ambassador’s injuries were not life-threatening.
A police official said the investigation is still in progress, but that the suspect threw a piece of concrete at the Japanese ambassador in Seoul in 2010. Kim Ki-jong was sentenced to a three-year suspended prison sentence over the incident.
Anti-U.S. protesters have been demonstrating to voice opposition to the annual U.S. – South Korean military exercises. North Korea says that the drills are practice for an invasion, but Seoul and Washington say the drills are defensive and routine.
This comes a few days after North Korea warns of a “merciless” war with the United States.
After the attack on Ambassador Lippert Marie Harf tweeted, “We strongly condemn this act of violence.”
Wow. That will show him. Maybe we should just provide Mr. Ki-jong with a job, right? That will appease him, and keep him from acting violently and attacking American citizens.
Lippert, who formerly held senior positions in the Department of Defense between 2012 and 2014, was confirmed as the ambassador in September, and has been popular during his time in Seoul.
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