U.S ambassado to S. Korea attack by knife weilding "Unificationist"

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**hotsauceman1**

http://news.yahoo.com/us-envoy-skorea-stable-condition-knife-attack-055419869.html

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The U.S. ambassador to South Korea struggled with pain as he recovered Friday from a knife attack, while police searched the offices of the anti-U.S. activist who they say slashed the envoy while screaming demands for Korean reunification.

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The attack Thursday on Mark Lippert, which prompted rival North Korea to gloat about "knife slashes of justice," left deep gashes and damaged tendons and nerves. It also raised questions about security in a city normally seen as ultra-safe, despite regular threats of war from Pyongyang.

While an extreme example, the attack is the latest act of political violence in a deeply divided country where some protesters portray their causes as matters of life and death.

Lippert, 42, was recovering well but still complaining of pain in the wound on his left wrist and a finger where doctors repaired nerve damage, Severance Hospital official Yoon Do-Heum said in televised briefing. Doctors will remove the 80 stiches on Lippert's face on Monday or Tuesday and expect him to be out of the hospital by Tuesday or Wednesday. Hospital officials say he may experience sensory problems in his left hand for several months.

Police, meanwhile, searched the offices of the suspect, Kim Ki-jong, 55, for documents and computer files as they investigated how the attack was planned and whether others were involved. Police plan to soon request a warrant for Kim's formal arrest, and potential charges include attempted murder, assaulting a foreign envoy, obstruction and violating a controversial South Korean law that bars praise or assistance of North Korea, Jongno district police chief Yun Myung-sung told reporters.

Police are investigating Kim's past travels to North Korea — seven times between 1999 and 2007 — during a previous era of inter-Korean cooperation, when Seoul was ruled by a liberal government. Kim attempted to build a memorial altar for former North Korean leader Kim Jong Il after his death in December 2011, police said.

View galleryMark Lippert, U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, atta …
U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Mark Lippert leaves after he was slashed in the face by an unidentifi …
Kim, who has a long history of anti-U.S. protests, said he acted alone in the attack on Lippert. He told police it was meant as a protest of annual U.S.-South Korean military drills that started Monday — exercises that the North has long maintained are preparations for an invasion. Kim said the drills, which Seoul and Washington say are purely defensive, ruined efforts for reconciliation between the Koreas, according to police officials.

While most South Koreans look at the U.S. presence favorably, America infuriates some leftists because of its role in Korea's turbulent modern history.

Washington, which backed the South during the 1950-53 Korean War against the communist North, still stations 28,500 troops here, and anti-U.S. activists see the annual military drills with Seoul as a major obstacle to their goal of a unified Korea.

"South and North Korea should be reunified," Kim shouted as he slashed Lippert with a 25-centimeter (10-inch) knife, police and witnesses said.

Kim is well-known among police and activists as one of a hard-core group of protesters willing to use violence to highlight their causes.

View gallerySouth Korean protesters burn North Korean flags and …
South Korean protesters burn North Korean flags and a photo of a suspect of slashing U.S. Ambassador …
Police didn't consider the possibility that Kim, who has ties to the Korean Council for Reconciliation and Cooperation, which hosted the breakfast meeting where Lippert was attacked, would show up for the event, according to a Seoul police official who didn't want to be named, citing office rules.

U.S. ambassadors have security details, but their size largely depends on the threat level of the post. Seoul is not considered to be a particularly high threat post despite its proximity to the North Korean border. It's not clear how many guards Lippert had, but they would have been fewer than the ambassadors in most of the Mideast.

Seoul's Foreign Ministry said it was the first time a foreign ambassador stationed in modern South Korea had been injured in a violent attack.

However, the Japanese ambassador narrowly escaped injury in 2010 when Kim threw a piece of concrete at him, according to police. Kim, who was protesting Japan's claim to small disputed islands that are occupied by South Korea, hit the ambassador's secretary instead, media reports said, and was sentenced to a three-year suspended prison term over the attack.

The website of the Woorimadang activist group that Kim heads describes the group's long history of anti-U.S. protests. Photos show him and other activists rallying last week in front of the U.S. Embassy in Seoul to protest the U.S.-South Korean military drills, which are to run until the end of April.

View galleryA suspect, bottom, identified by police as a 55-year-old, …
A suspect, bottom, identified by police as a 55-year-old, surnamed Kim, is overwhelmed by participan …
North Korea's state-controlled media crowed Thursday that Kim's "knife slashes of justice" were "a deserved punishment on war maniac U.S." and reflected the South Korean people's protests against the U.S. for driving the Korean Peninsula to the brink of war because of the joint military drills.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, in Saudi Arabia for meetings with regional leaders, said the U.S. "will never be intimidated or deterred by threats or by anybody who harms any American diplomats."

Activists in Seoul, meanwhile, expressed worries that the attack on Lippert would harm the public image of peaceful protesters, or prompt the conservative government to suppress their activities.

Small to medium-sized demonstrations regularly occur across Seoul, and most are peaceful.

But scuffles with police do break out occasionally, and the burning of effigies of North Korean and Japanese leaders is also common. Some demonstrators have also severed their own fingers, thrown bodily fluids at embassies and tried to self-immolate.

Lippert became ambassador last October and has been a regular presence on social media and in speeches and presentations during his time in Seoul. He's regularly seen walking his Basset Hound, Grigsby, near his residence, not far from where the attack happened. His wife gave birth here and the couple gave their son a Korean middle name.

This is some serious Gak man. If I was america, I would send the troops to N. Korea right now. Boots on the ground and villages burnt to a crisp. Heck, we wouldnt even need soldiers, send in the drones.

**chaos0xomega**

I, and I think many Americans, agree with him. South and North Korea SHOULD be unified... under South Korea, with American help.

**cincydooley**

Why should the US help?

**hotsauceman1**

cincydooley wrote:
Why should the US help?

Not help, but attacking our abassador is very serious.

**Tsilber**

man, he got messed. Glad its not life threatening wounds.

**djones520**

Unification would destroy S. Korea, either way it happened.

N. Korean's by and large are an unhealthy, uneducated population. The need for welfare for the millions of people suddenly brought into the country... it would destroy their economy.

It would be a good 20-30 years before the majority of the N. Korean population was able to contribute to the overall well being of the nation... if they didn't become addicted to the welfare...

It's a truly gakky situation, no matter how you look at it.

**cincydooley**

hotsauceman1 wrote:
cincydooley wrote:
Why should the US help?

Not help, but attacking our abassador is very serious.

More serious than the beheading of multiple nationals in ISIS propaganda videos?

**Jehan-reznor**

The attacker was a South Korean right wing nationalist, so the US should invade South Korea instead?

**Hordini**

Jehan-reznor wrote:
The attacker was a South Korean right wing nationalist, so the US should invade South Korea instead?

Well, that's easy, considering we already have a bunch of troops on the ground there.

**sebster**

hotsauceman1 wrote:
This is some serious Gak man. If I was america, I would send the troops to N. Korea right now. Boots on the ground and villages burnt to a crisp. Heck, we wouldnt even need soldiers, send in the drones.

That's a pretty nutty reaction, to be honest. While this guy has links to the NK government, there's zero evidence that they were involved.

And what's more, you don't go about invading countries based on perceived slights against your country. That's the number one way to waste lives and treasury without gaining anything for the benefit of your country.

**Kid_Kyoto**

This is some serious Gak man. If I was america, I would send the troops to N. Korea right now. Boots on the ground and villages burnt to a crisp. Heck, we wouldnt even need soldiers, send in the drones.

Ug

As was already pointed out there's zero evidence the North was even involved.

But don't forget the North has done fun things like attempting assassinate the S Korean President, send commando teams to assault the S Korean capital the Blue House, shell S Korean islands, kidnap S Koreans and Japanese...

!@#$ I'll just link to Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_border_incidents_involving_North_Korea

So why hasn't anyone attacked them?

Deterrence.

N Korea has one of the largest conventional armies in the world backed up by chemical weapons and a small nuclear arsenal.

There's an old study that said a second Korean War would have a million casualties.

Spoiler:

So no.

No one is eager to go to war with the North.

**CalSt23**

hotsauceman1 wrote:
cincydooley wrote:
Why should the US help?

Not help, but attacking our abassador is very serious.

The major issue with taking any action (Military wise) in N Korea is that there is a good reason when you see Kim with crying schoolkids-

The people of N Korea see him as a God, not by choice, but because from birth they are devoid of ANY input except the propaganda fed to them day by day, the multiple wars Kim has fought in, defeating the USA, Japan, everyone (It didn't happen, but they think it did)..

You invade Korea, you'll have to kill every North Korean, you want to integrate N Korea into S Korea? No, the people of North Korea will rebel, because they believe what they have been raised to believe.

You could probably get Kim assassinated, but that might just open pandoras box, and considering S Korea and maybe Japan are the only real places within N Koreas nuking distance (as far as I'm aware, might be wrong)... I'd feel bad knowing they'd get the backlash.

I really don't like the idea of what they might do if you killed their 'God'.

+EDIT+ Guy above knows what's up. But China can still bring around 100M soldiers. In a severe situation.

**hotsauceman1**

Kid_Kyoto wrote:
This is some serious Gak man. If I was america, I would send the troops to N. Korea right now. Boots on the ground and villages burnt to a crisp. Heck, we wouldnt even need soldiers, send in the drones.

Ug

As was already pointed out there's zero evidence the North was even involved.

But don't forget the North has done fun things like attempting assassinate the S Korean President, send commando teams to assault the S Korean capital the Blue House, shell S Korean islands, kidnap S Koreans and Japanese...

!@#$ I'll just link to Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_border_incidents_involving_North_Korea

So why hasn't anyone attacked them?

Deterrence.

N Korea has one of the largest conventional armies in the world backed up by chemical weapons and a small nuclear arsenal.

There's an old study that said a second Korean War would have a million casualties.

Spoiler:

In the first hour.

So no.

No one is eager to go to war with the North.

I am. But I am just alarmist and insane. Still the Ambassador attack is very serious

**Stonebeard**

Yeah, no, invading North Korea would be a bad idea. Actually, no, it wouldn't be a 'bad' idea, it would be a horrifyingly stupid idea. Why? Well, it would cost millions of lives, and, if we got lucky, would probably end exactly the same way it did last time. That's if we got lucky... very lucky. The current situation is fine. No reason to change it.

We have a good solid foot in the door in mainland Asia and China has their bat gak flavored buffer zone. Everyone's happy.

EDIT: After all, what did we learn from Vizzini, kids?

**CalSt23**

Stonebeard wrote:
Yeah, no, invading North Korea would be a bad idea. Actually, no, it wouldn't be a 'bad' idea, it would be a horrifyingly stupid idea. Why? Well, it would cost millions of lives, and, if we got lucky, would probably end exactly the same way it did last time. That's if we got lucky... very lucky. The current situation is fine. No reason to change it.

We have a good solid foot in the door in mainland Asia and China has their bat gak flavored buffer zone. Everyone's happy.

It's *fine* but not *Ideal*.

The situation is that N Korea flex's it's muscles now and again, as it does, declares war on America, takes a few shots at the border.

But you can't really culturally change N Korea because it's a self-sustained society *culturally*, it makes its own movies and music and TV, and it's all propaganda, theres always an agenda, a state sponsored agenda.

It's something that upsets me, because these people have no idea what the truth is and what there is out there. (Or at least not the truth about whats out there)

**Stonebeard**

CalSt23 wrote:
Stonebeard wrote:
Yeah, no, invading North Korea would be a bad idea. Actually, no, it wouldn't be a 'bad' idea, it would be a horrifyingly stupid idea. Why? Well, it would cost millions of lives, and, if we got lucky, would probably end exactly the same way it did last time. That's if we got lucky... very lucky. The current situation is fine. No reason to change it.

We have a good solid foot in the door in mainland Asia and China has their bat gak flavored buffer zone. Everyone's happy.

It's *fine* but not *Ideal*.

The situation is that N Korea flex's it's muscles now and again, as it does, declares war on America, takes a few shots at the border.

But you can't really culturally change N Korea because it's a self-sustained society *culturally*, it makes its own movies and music and TV, and it's all propaganda, theres always an agenda, a state sponsored agenda.

It's something that upsets me, because these people have no idea what the truth is and what there is out there. (Or at least not the truth about whats out there)

Well, yeah, it's certainly not the ideal situation, but sometimes you gotta work with the hand you're dealt. And, yes, it sucks for the citizens of NK, but as you say, there really isn't any way we can change life for the better for them without some miracle happening.

**sebster**

The reason to stick with the status quo is because there is always a chance that tyrannies can end without bloodshed. There is a classic example right there in South Korea – a corrupt military dictatorship that slowly gave way to democracy, without anyone having to swoop in and slaughter hundreds of thousands of people.

The situation in North Korea is terrible, but war would consign hundreds of thousands to death, and the subsequent chaos would likely starve millions more in North Korea. For now, as long as its stable, it’s best to putter along and give North Korea every chance of somehow sorting its own gak out.

CalSt23 wrote:
The people of N Korea see him as a God, not by choice, but because from birth they are devoid of ANY input except the propaganda fed to them day by day, the multiple wars Kim has fought in, defeating the USA, Japan, everyone (It didn't happen, but they think it did)..

This is largely a myth. People and goods move across the largely porous border with China – people hear what life is like outside North Korea, and there is blackmarket media that shows it really clearly. Most of the population knows they’re living in a dystopian shithole. The problem is actually knowing what to do about it.

I really don't like the idea of what they might do if you killed their 'God'.

The answer is nothing. The military oligarch will reform around someone else, as it always does. There are lots of reasons assassinating Saddam wasn't the solution, and it wasn’t because Iraqis thought he was a God.

**CalSt23**

Stonebeard wrote:
CalSt23 wrote:
Stonebeard wrote:
Yeah, no, invading North Korea would be a bad idea. Actually, no, it wouldn't be a 'bad' idea, it would be a horrifyingly stupid idea. Why? Well, it would cost millions of lives, and, if we got lucky, would probably end exactly the same way it did last time. That's if we got lucky... very lucky. The current situation is fine. No reason to change it.

We have a good solid foot in the door in mainland Asia and China has their bat gak flavored buffer zone. Everyone's happy.

It's *fine* but not *Ideal*.

The situation is that N Korea flex's it's muscles now and again, as it does, declares war on America, takes a few shots at the border.

But you can't really culturally change N Korea because it's a self-sustained society *culturally*, it makes its own movies and music and TV, and it's all propaganda, theres always an agenda, a state sponsored agenda.

It's something that upsets me, because these people have no idea what the truth is and what there is out there. (Or at least not the truth about whats out there)

Well, yeah, it's certainly not the ideal situation, but sometimes you gotta work with the hand you're dealt. And, yes, it sucks for the citizens of NK, but as you say, there really isn't any way we can change life for the better for them without some miracle happening.

Wait for the people of N Korea to openly revolt?

sebster wrote:
CalSt23 wrote:
The people of N Korea see him as a God, not by choice, but because from birth they are devoid of ANY input except the propaganda fed to them day by day, the multiple wars Kim has fought in, defeating the USA, Japan, everyone (It didn't happen, but they think it did)..

This is largely a myth. People and goods move across the largely porous border with China – people hear what life is like outside North Korea, and there is blackmarket media that shows it really clearly. Most of the population knows they’re living in a dystopian shithole. The problem is actually knowing what to do about it.

I really don't like the idea of what they might do if you killed their 'God'.

The answer is nothing. The military oligarch will reform around someone else, as it always does. There are lots of reasons assassinating Saddam wasn't the solution, and it wasn’t because Iraqis thought he was a God.

In a way I guess I believe what I'm told by my government, big bad Russia and N Korea, our buddy America, Good old England. All that bull that feeds stereotypes, right?

Like the way we had massive coverage of the Paris attacks, but next to nothing about Denmark or the 100 or something people killed by (I think?) Boko Haram practically the same day. It's all about the EU in our media, forget the Nordic countries and Africa, apparently.

**Bullockist**

Given the results from the last 2 US led invasions I would have thought another would be the last thing on peoples minds. I expect the end result would be china annexing N.Korea.

**CalSt23**

Bullockist wrote:
Given the results from the last 2 US led invasions I would have thought another would be the last thing on peoples minds. I expect the end result would be china annexing N.Korea.

You'd think S Korea would make a claim to that, backed I'd expect by the USA and Japan (and by extension) the UK & select EU members.

**Bullockist**

Maybe but china knows that all it has to do is cause disruption indirectly for 10 or so years and you guys are out of there and then the can get a proxy foothold in the country.

**CalSt23**

Bullockist wrote:
Maybe but china knows that all it has to do is cause disruption indirectly for 10 or so years and you guys are out of there and then the can get a proxy foothold in the country.

You know China is making good things now?

Similar to how back when our fathers (probably 60's and 70's) thought of "Made in Japan" as an assurance of cheap, poorly made merchandise we now think of China as the same? Chinas making some high quality things, Kanger vaping stuff and Xiaomi smartphones. Crazy.

**Pacific**

You've definitely got a 'quality' side to Chinese production these days (some of the top-end hi-fi they are releasing is exceptional quality, for instance) but think there is also still a lot of mass-produced stuff!

sebster wrote:
The reason to stick with the status quo is because there is always a chance that tyrannies can end without bloodshed. There is a classic example right there in South Korea – a corrupt military dictatorship that slowly gave way to democracy, without anyone having to swoop in and slaughter hundreds of thousands of people.

The situation in North Korea is terrible, but war would consign hundreds of thousands to death, and the subsequent chaos would likely starve millions more in North Korea. For now, as long as its stable, it’s best to putter along and give North Korea every chance of somehow sorting its own gak out.

Anyone who has lived in SK as I have, spent some time to know the people and read about the subject, knows this to be the case.

I think also there is the tacit understanding, between both North and South Koreans themselves, that war would lead to the destruction of the peninsula. The memory is still too vivid of the last war, and while many in South Korea do not want reunification (this came as something of a surprise to me - a lot of it resounds around the economic strength of SK, how recently they have found this level of prosperity, and don't want to lose it) they still view the people of the North as being part of the same race, of their 'people'.

From my experience, regarding this issue I don't think there is a general dislike or like even towards the American forces in Korea. Like those in Germany and Japan, having a large quantity of testosterone-filled, bored young guys in volume within a relatively small area can cause problems with the locals sometimes. I think there is however an understanding that eventually the peninsula will unify, that there will be no need for any other country's army to be there to safeguard them. Korea has a culture thousands of years old, they've managed to survive nestled in-between sometimes ravenous super-powers that dwarfed their own military capability. Genetically and culturally, their history is far older than anywhere in Europe or most places in the world, I think that eventually they will come out of this 'black' patch, of first the Japanese invasion and then proxy-war by the US and Soviets, and be re-unified as a single nation once more.

**jhe90**

OK, so new openings in the security team in South Korea.

He is always gonna be big target. Security, where was it?

**Ahtman**

Well I myself wasn't attacked so I feel pretty good about that.

**mitch_rifle**

I feel sorry for the millions of Koreans that are going to die when that insane nation eventually implodes and self destructs

Honestly something should've been done before they fething got nuclear weapons

**Frazzled**

chaos0xomega wrote:
I, and I think many Americans, agree with him. South and North Korea SHOULD be unified... under South Korea, with American help.

them. Here's a better plan. Sell them 20 peacekeepers and announce you're bailing in five years (but leave in three).

Automatically Appended Next Post:

mitch_rifle wrote:
I feel sorry for the millions of Koreans that are going to die when that insane nation eventually implodes and self destructs

Honestly something should've been done before they fething got nuclear weapons

We tried (your country included I think). My uncle went nutso after and Dad himself-who would talk about Africa and such fun as looking for a lost nuke wouldn't talk about it,

**gorgon**

Pacific wrote:
Korea has a culture thousands of years old, they've managed to survive nestled in-between sometimes ravenous super-powers that dwarfed their own military capability. Genetically and culturally, their history is far older than anywhere in Europe or most places in the world, I think that eventually they will come out of this 'black' patch, of first the Japanese invasion and then proxy-war by the US and Soviets, and be re-unified as a single nation once more.

And there it is.

**Grey Templar**

Stonebeard wrote:
Yeah, no, invading North Korea would be a bad idea. Actually, no, it wouldn't be a 'bad' idea, it would be a horrifyingly stupid idea. Why? Well, it would cost millions of lives, and, if we got lucky, would probably end exactly the same way it did last time. That's if we got lucky... very lucky. The current situation is fine. No reason to change it.

Maybe it would cost millions of North Korean lives, and a couple million South Koreans.

The North would get maybe a couple Nukes off on South Korea before they were sent the way of the Dodo, courtesy of a bunch of US nukes.

It would really just be a flash in the pan, only notable as the first use of Nuclear weapons in war since WW2 when all is said and done. North Korea knows that if they use a nuke they will be wiped off the map, quite literally.

**kronk**

hotsauceman1 wrote:
cincydooley wrote:
Why should the US help?

Not help, but attacking our abassador is very serious.

It was a lone nut, not an attack on SK by NK.