Man who stabbed DP's Lee Jae-myung sentenced to 15 years in prison

The 67-year-old man who stabbed then-Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung with a knife in January was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Friday.

The Busan District Court also handed the man, identified only by his surname Kim, an additional five years of probation on charges of attempted murder and election law violations.

“The crime not only attempted to take away the right to life but also severely disrupted the freedom of elections by attacking the victim ahead of a parliamentary election, thus severely undermining the social consensus and trust in the democratic order,” the court said in the sentencing.

“Following the victim's schedule five times and practicing stabbing with a knife shows that Kim planned the murder in a persistent and meticulous manner for nine months from April 2023, making the act highly condemnable,” he added.

Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung lies on the ground after being stabbed during his visit to the site of the new international airport on Gadeok Island, Busan, on Jan. 2. [YONHAP]

Pretending to be a supporter, Kim approached Lee during his visit to Gadeok Island in Busan on Jan. 2 and stabbed Lee in the neck with a knife. The opposition party leader underwent surgery and was hospitalized, suffering a 1.4-centimeter (0.55-inch) wound. He was discharged after eight days.

Kim was arrested at the scene. He had been investigated for preparing the attack since last April, attempting the crime five times to prevent Lee from “exercising his nomination rights and running in the parliamentary election.”

Kim was detained by police a week after the incident. During a hearing in May, the prosecution requested a 20-year prison sentence and a 10-year electronic monitoring order for Kim.

“While my political stance remains unchanged, I have deeply reflected on this incident and feel sorry for Lee as a person,” Kim said in his final statement. “I apologize for the pain caused to my family and friends and for wasting the administrative resources of the state.”

BY HAN JEE-HYE, SEO JI-EUN [[email protected]]