80 Stitches

A ghastly attack on the US Ambassador to South Korea

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A knife attack Thursday that injured the U.S. ambassador to South Korea is only the latest act of political violence in a deeply divided country where some protesters portray their causes as matters of life and death.

The slashing of Ambassador Mark Lippert’s face and arm was an extreme example, but America infuriates some leftist South Koreans because of its role in Korea’s turbulent modern history.

…Purported U.S. interference in Korean affairs appeared to be the main grievance of the man police named as the assailant, a 55-year-old named Kim Ki-jong who has a long history of anti-U.S. protests.

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

The attack left a gash on Lippert’s face that started under his right cheekbone and extended diagonally across his cheek toward his jawbone. He received 80 stiches to close that 11-centimeter (4-inch) long, 3-centimeter deep (about an inch) wound, Chung Nam-sik of Severance Hospital told reporters. Lippert, 42, also had surgery on his arm to repair damage to tendons and nerves, and was in stable condition at the hospital.

Godspeed on your recovery, Ambassador.

One Response to “80 Stitches”

1. Dr Alice says:

   March 5, 2015 at 10:12 am

   If he does not also have facial nerve damage, he’ll be extremely lucky. What an awful attack.