Bangkok Post – South Korean man sentenced to 15 years in prison for stabbing party chief

SEOUL – A South Korean court has sentenced a man to 15 years in prison for stabbing the leader of the main opposition party, in one of the country's most high-profile cases of political violence in recent years.

The Busan District Court on Friday sentenced the 67-year-old attacker, identified only by his surname, Kim. Yonhap News The court said the attack constituted a “serious challenge” to the electoral system and democracy that cannot be justified under any circumstances, the news agency reported.

Prosecutors had sought a 20-year prison sentence for Kim, who is charged with attempted murder and violating election law. Judicial authorities did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In January, months before South Korea's scheduled general election, Kim Jong Un stabbed Democratic Party (DP) leader Lee Jae-myung in the neck. Lee underwent surgery, survived the attack, and led the party to a landslide victory in April's parliamentary elections.

Police officials said the attack appeared to be politically motivated, citing Kim as saying he wanted to prevent the opposition leader from becoming president and his party from winning a majority of seats in the general election.

Lee, who failed in a previous presidential campaign, is one of the most polarizing figures in the country's political landscape.