The South Korean protester who slashed U.S. Ambassador Mark Lippert in the face six months ago was found guilty of attempted murder in court Friday, and has been sentenced to 12 years in prison.
The attacker, Kim Ki-jong, 55, had attacked Lippert in March at a forum discussing Korean reunification. In addition to the attempted murder charge, he was also found guilty of assault of a foreign envoy, however he was acquitted of a third charge of violating the National Security Act, according to Reuters.
Lippert suffered a deep gash in the face and injuries to his wrist during the incident that required him to be hospitalized for five days. During his stay, Lippert received over 80 stitches to help treat his wounds.
"Kim seems to have had a strong will to attack the victim, choosing a knife to repeatedly slash the part of the body that had a direct connection with life," Seoul Central District Judge Kim Dong-ah said, according to Korean news site Yonhap.
Officials noted that Kim was motivated by fierce anti-americanism, and targeted Lippert because he was an accessible symbol of the U.S.
At one point it was believed that Kim was a supporter of North Korea, since a large number of books and other materials that appeared to espouse North Korean viewpoints were confiscated from his home. Similarly, despite praising Kim for his actions, and going so far as to say the "knife slashes of justice" were the "deserved punishment" for Lippert, Pyongyang has denied any involvement in the attack, according to Sport Act.
The attack prompted a surge of public support in South Korea for Lippert, who had become popular since he took up his post in November for his outgoing and approachable style.
