North Korea cheers 'knife attack of justice' on U.S. ambassador Mark Lippert

Never one to pass up a good opportunity to troll its adversaries, North Korea on Thursday responded to the stabbing of U.S. Ambassador Mark Lippert by celebrating it as a "knife attack of justice," and "just punishment for U.S. warmongers." The statement, from official North Korean news agency KCNA, also said the attack was a sign of "anti-U.S. sentiment" in South Korea — which is true, at least regarding the attacker, Kim Ki-Jong.

Lippert, an Asia policy expert who has only been ambassador to South Korea since October, received 80 stitches to his face and will probably stay in the hospital for up to four more days, CNN reports, citing a doctor at Yonsei Severance Hospital. The one-inch-deep gash on his face required two hours of surgery, but didn't sever any facial nerves.

Kim, the attacker, had been invited to the event, as he was a member of the organization that was hosting it, the Korea Council For Reconciliation and Cooperation. In 2010, Kim was reportedly arrested and given a suspended two-year sentence after trying to hit Japan's ambassador with a piece of concrete. The Associated Press shows the aftermath of Thursday's attack in the video below. —Peter Weber

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up