By Alex Jensen
SEOUL
A man in his 50s has been charged with what amounts to treason in South Korea, months after being caught red-handed following an attack on Seoul-based U.S. Ambassador Mark Lippert.
Kim Ki-jong was a known agitator but managed to attend a breakfast event in the South’s capital where Lippert was speaking in March.
The nation was shocked as it emerged that Kim had approached Lippert wielding a knife, leaving the envoy in need of more than 80 stitches and a hospital stay to overcome wounds to his face and arm.
Having already been accused of attempted murder, Kim was also charged Wednesday with breaking South Korea’s strict National Security Law -- which clamps down on pro-Pyongyang behavior given that the South remains technically at war with North Korea.
The move was announced by prosecutors at Seoul Central District Court.
An extra seven years of prison time could await Kim, who had allegedly collected materials in support of the North, while also openly denouncing military drills involving both South Korea and the U.S.
The accused is known to have visited North Korea on multiple occasions despite heavy restrictions on inter-Korean travel, and he even attempted to honor the passing of the North’s leader Kim Jong-il.
The 56-year-old also previously threw a rock at a former Japanese ambassador to South Korea, but he was only handed a suspended jail term following the incident in 2010.
As for Lippert, life goes on -- the envoy was seen throwing out the first pitch for a Seoul baseball team in April, and he is still a regular feature at public events.
