The attacker of the American ambassador to South Korea was a political activist who acted alone when he used a knife to slash the face of the ambassador on Thursday morning, said the South Korean police. Before attacking Mark Lippert, the political activist Kim Ki-jong already had a history of violence.
Fifty-five-year-old Kim is the leader of Urimadang, a far-left political organization, according to The Washington Post. He said that his attack took 10 days and he had acted independently.
Kim used a ten-inch knife to attack the ambassador at a breakfast meeting. He had already received a two-year sentence for his 2010 attack on Japan's ambassador to South Korea, according to The New York Times. Kim had thrown a piece of concrete.
He claimed that he had attacked Mr. Lippert to protest the ongoing military exercises between South Korea and the United States. Some Koreans believe that this makes the process of reunification with North Korea more difficult.
After receiving surgery on Thursday, Lippert's condition was stable. The four-inch-long cut on his face was closed with 80 stitches.
Stab wounds on the ambassador's left arm and hand were also treated. He received the wounds while trying to defend himself from the attack.
John Delury, an American professor in Seoul, believes that Kim is a "fringe element" who does not represent the general Korean public. He says that the attack does not represent a wide anti-American sentiment.
South Koreans have periodically shown anti-American feelings in the past. However, North Korea's nuclear development and China's hostility in the region have made pushed those feelings to the perimeter of society.
Lippert has become popular after he became the ambassador to South Korea last year. He seems enthusiastic about the job, and even enjoys taking walks in public.
On Thursday Lippert had a positive outlook, and tweeted he was, "in great spirits!" He is eager to strengthen the alliance between the USA and South Korea.
The South Korean government held an emergency meeting for its vice ministers. It promised severe punishment for officials who were unsuccessful in defending Lippert.