SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A man who stabbed South Korea’s opposition leader in the neck earlier this year was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Friday, court officials said.
The knife-wielding man attacked Lee Jae-myung, head of the liberal Democratic Party, South Korea’s biggest political party, in January after approaching him asking for his autograph at an event in the southeastern city of Busan. After being detained by police, he told investigators that he wanted to kill Lee to prevent him from becoming South Korea’s president.
The Busan District Court said the man was handed the prison term after being found guilty for an attempted murder and a violation of an election law.
The court said that both the man and prosecutors have one week to appeal.
The attack happened ahead of the country’s crucial parliamentary elections in April, which ended with Lee’s Democratic Party and other opposition parties winning a massive victory against President Yoon Suk Yeol’s conservative governing party.
A court verdict called the attack “a grave challenge” to the country’s election systems and an act that “significantly destroys social consensus and confidence on the basic liberal democratic principles," according to Yonhap news agency. It cited the verdict as saying the attacker had long loathed Lee because of differences of political opinions, practiced stabbing his neck in advance and followed him on five public events.
The court's public affairs office couldn't immediately confirm details of Friday's verdict. The court didn't disclose the man's identity. Police earlier said he's about 67.
The attack left Lee bleeding and slumped on the ground. He was hospitalized for eight days receiving surgery and other treatments. While leaving a Seoul hospital later in January, Lee expressed hopes for an end to “politics of hatred" in South Korea.
During police questioning, the attacker said he was unhappy with what he thought was a lack of progress in authorities’ investigations of Lee over various corruption allegations. He told investigators that he tried to kill Lee to hurt his party’s prospects for a victory in the parliamentary elections and to eventually eliminate chances of Lee becoming South Korea’s next president, according to police.
Democratic Party officials earlier confirmed the attacker became a member last year. The ruling People Power Party said he is currently not their member but media reports said the man, only identified as his surname Kim, was previously affiliated with the party’s predecessor.
Lee, a sharp-tongued former provincial governor, lost the 2022 presidential election to Yoon, a former top prosecutor, by the narrowest margin recorded in a South Korean presidential election.
Their closely fought race and post-election political bickering have intensified South Korea’s already-toxic conservative-liberal divide. Surveys have showed that Lee is one of the early favorites for the 2027 presidential election. Yoon is by law barred from seeking reelection.
FILE - Then South Korea's main opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung on a stretcher arrives at a heliport in Seoul, South Korea, on Jan. 2, 2024. A man who stabbed Lee in the neck earlier this year was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Friday, July 5, 2024, court officials said. (Im Hwa-young/Yonhap via AP, File)
FILE - Then South Korea's main opposition Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung leaves a hospital in Seoul, South Korea, on Jan. 10, 2024. A man who stabbed Lee in the neck earlier this year was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Friday, July 5, 2024, court officials said. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File)
PARIS (AP) — The unexpected fireworks lit up Paris's Place de la Republique.
For the thousands of French people who took to the streets on Sunday to celebrate the results of a parliamentary run-off vote, the outcome was a big relief.
For the leaders of the leftist New Popular Front coalition that unexpectedly thwarted the far-right's advance, it was time to celebrate. Olivier Faure, the leader of the Socialist Party, clenched his fist during his victory speech after the final round of voting.
The founder of hard-left party France Unbowed, Jean-Luc Melenchon, pledged to implement all his campaign promises. Easier said than done, critics said, with the country now facing a hung Parliament after none of the main groups was able to gather a majority of 289 seats to govern alone.
After polls suggested ahead of Sunday’s voting that the far-right was at the gate to power for the first time since World War II, the victory of the New Popular Front came as a surprise.
While far-right supporters stayed at home, others gathered outside to celebrate the rejection of Marine Le Pen’s anti-immigration National Rally party. On Paris’ Place de la Republique, people chanted together, waved blue-white-red flags and lit fireworks. There were also a few tensions and some bicycles were burned during the night, but no major incidents were reported.
And it was not just Paris which celebrated. Demonstrators waved French flags and set off smoke flares in the western city of Nantes, while In Lyon, two women sat on either side of a large rose, a longstanding symbol of the Socialist Party.
Far-right National Rally party president Jordan Bardella delivers a speech after the second round of the legislative election, Sunday, July 7, 2024 at the party election night headquarters in Paris. A coalition on the left that came together unexpectedly ahead of France's snap elections won the most parliamentary seats in the vote, according to polling projections Sunday. The surprise projections put President Emmanuel Macron's centrist alliance in second and the far right in third. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
People wave French flags as they react to projected results after the second round of the legislative elections, Sunday, July 7, 2024, in Nantes, western France. Polls have closed in France, and polling projections say a coalition on the left that came together unexpectedly has won the most parliamentary seats in the pivotal runoff elections after a high turnout among voters. (AP Photo/Jeremias Gonzalez)
Demonstrators run from smoke flares during reactions to projected results after the second round of the legislative elections, in Lyon, central France, Sunday, July 7, 2024. Polls have closed in France, and polling projections say a coalition on the left that came together unexpectedly has won the most parliamentary seats in the pivotal runoff elections after a high turnout among voters. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)
A man votes in the second round of the legislative elections, Sunday, July 7, 2024 in Strasbourg, eastern France. France votes Sunday in pivotal runoff elections that could hand a historic victory to Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally and its inward-looking, anti-immigrant vision — or produce a hung parliament and years of political deadlock. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)
French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal walks back to the Prime Minister residence after delivering a speech following the second round of the legislative elections, Sunday, July 7, 2024 in Paris. A coalition of the French left that quickly banded together to beat a surging far right in legislative elections won the most seats in parliament but not a majority, according to polling projections Sunday, a stunning outcome that threatens to plunge the country into political and economic turmoil. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
People react to the projection of results during the second round of the legislative elections, near Republique Plaza in Paris, France, Sunday, July 7, 2024. Polls have closed in France, and polling projections say a coalition on the left that came together unexpectedly has won the most parliamentary seats in the pivotal runoff elections after a high turnout among voters. Sign reads "The extreme right shall not pass. From Gaza to Paris Intifada". (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Police officers stand by burning bicycles during tensions near Republique plaza following the second round of the legislative elections, Sunday, July 7, 2024, in Paris. A coalition of the French left that quickly banded together to beat a surging far right in legislative elections won the most seats in parliament but not a majority, according to polling projections Sunday, a stunning outcome that threatens to plunge the country into political and economic turmoil. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
People wait for the results of the second round of the legislative elections, Sunday, July 7, 2024 in Nantes, western France. Voting is underway in mainland France on Sunday in pivotal runoff elections that could hand a historic victory to Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally and its inward-looking, anti-immigrant vision, or produce a hung parliament and political deadlock. (AP Photo/Jeremias Gonzalez)
A voter casts her ballot during the second round of the legislative elections, Sunday, July 7, 2024 in Paris. France votes Sunday in pivotal runoff elections that could hand a historic victory to Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally and its inward-looking, anti-immigrant vision — or produce a hung parliament and years of political deadlock. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Two women sit on either side of a rose as people react to projected results after the second round of the legislative elections, in Lyon, central France, Sunday, July 7, 2024. Polls have closed in France, and polling projections say a coalition on the left that came together unexpectedly has won the most parliamentary seats in the pivotal runoff elections after a high turnout among voters. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)
Fireworks go off as people stand in Republique Plaza and react to the projection of results during the second round of the legislative elections, in Paris, France, Sunday, July 7, 2024. Polls have closed in France, and polling projections say a coalition on the left that came together unexpectedly has won the most parliamentary seats in the pivotal runoff elections after a high turnout among voters. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Demonstrators set off smoke flares as they react to projected results after the second round of the legislative elections, Sunday, July 7, 2024 in Nantes, western France. Polls have closed in France, and polling projections say a coalition on the left that came together unexpectedly has won the most parliamentary seats in the pivotal runoff elections after a high turnout among voters. (AP Photo/Jeremias Gonzalez)
A voter leaves a booth at a polling station after voting in the second round of the legislative elections, in Lyon, central France, Sunday, July 7, 2024. France votes Sunday in pivotal runoff elections that could hand a historic victory to Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally and its inward-looking, anti-immigrant vision — or produce a hung parliament and years of political deadlock. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)
People stand in a cafe watching the television as they react to the projection of results during the second round of the legislative elections, in Paris, France. Polls have closed in France, and polling projections say a coalition on the left that came together unexpectedly has won the most parliamentary seats in the pivotal runoff elections after a high turnout among voters. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Far-right National Rally party leader Marine Le Pen answers reporters after the second round of the legislative election, Sunday, July 7, 2024, at the party election night headquarters in Paris. A coalition on the left that came together unexpectedly ahead of France's snap elections won the most parliamentary seats in the vote, according to polling projections Sunday. The surprise projections put President Emmanuel Macron's centrist alliance in second and the far right in third. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
French President Emmanuel Macron votes for the second round of the legislative elections in Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, northern France, Sunday July 7 2024. Voting has begun in mainland France on Sunday in pivotal runoff elections that could hand a historic victory to Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally and its inward-looking, anti-immigrant vision — or produce a hung parliament and political deadlock. (Mohammed Badra, Pool via AP)
Poll workers begin counting ballots at the during the second round of the legislative elections, Sunday, July 7, 2024 in Schiltgheim, eastern France. Voting is underway in mainland France on Sunday in pivotal runoff elections that could hand a historic victory to Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally and its inward-looking, anti-immigrant vision, or produce a hung parliament and political deadlock. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)
Police vans park outside the National Assembly during the second round of the legislative elections, Sunday, July 7, 2024 in Paris. France votes Sunday in pivotal runoff elections that could hand a historic victory to Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally and its inward-looking, anti-immigrant vision — or produce a hung parliament and years of political deadlock. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal delivers a speech after the second round of the legislative elections, Sunday, July 7, 2024 in Paris. A coalition of the French left that quickly banded together to beat a surging far right in legislative elections won the most seats in parliament but not a majority, according to polling projections Sunday, a stunning outcome that threatens to plunge the country into political and economic turmoil. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
Olivier Faure, First Secretary of the Socialist Party, clenches his fist after the second round of the legislative elections, Sunday, July 7, 2024, at the party election night headquarters in Paris. A coalition on the left that came together unexpectedly ahead of France's snap elections won the most parliamentary seats in the vote, according to polling projections Sunday. The surprise projections put President Emmanuel Macron's centrist alliance in second and the far right in third. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
People gather at the Republique plaza after the second round of the legislative election, Sunday, July 7, 2024, in Paris. Surprise polling projections in France say a leftist coalition that came together to try to keep the far right from power has won the most parliamentary seats in runoff elections after a high turnout among voters. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
Far-left La France Insoumise - LFI - (France Unbowed) founder Jean-Luc Melenchon, center, delivers a speech after the second round of the legislative elections Sunday, July 7, 2024 in Paris. A coalition on the left that came together unexpectedly ahead of France's snap elections won the most parliamentary seats in the vote, according to polling projections Sunday. The surprise projections put President Emmanuel Macron's centrist alliance in second and the far right in third. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla)
