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SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The man accused of slashing the U.S. ambassador to South Korea last month could be on trial as soon as next week on charges of attempted murder.
The man (Kim Ki-jong) was indicted today in the attack on Ambassador Mark Lippert. The ambassador suffered deep gashes on his face and arm and was treated at a Seoul hospital for five days.
Police say the attacker chose Lippert as a target to highlight his opposition to ongoing U.S.-South Korean military drills.
South Korean law requires the trial to start within 14 days. A court official says it's too early to comment on the possible penalties a conviction could bring.
Prosecutors have also been investigating whether the attack violated a controversial law that bans praise or assistance for North Korea. They could end up adding those charges during the trial.
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APPHOTO BKKS201: FILE - In this Tuesday, March 10, 2015, file photo, U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Mark Lippert listens to a question during a press conference before being discharged from Severance Hospital in Seoul, South Korea. South Korean prosecutors on Wednesday, April 1, 2015, indicted Kim Ki-jong, 55, who slashed Lippert in Seoul last month on charges of attempted murder. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon, File) (10 Mar 2015)
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