DP leader attacker submits 8-page statement

The 67-year-old man who attacked Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung is escorted on Thursday into Busan District Court, where his arrest warrant was reviewed. [NEWS1]

The 67-year-old assailant who attacked Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung on Tuesday said that he submitted an eight-page statement to the police.

“You can refer to that [statement],” said the assailant, identified only as Kim, in response to questions from reporters Thursday regarding the motive behind his attack.

Kim was escorted into the Busan District Court on Thursday, where his arrest warrant was reviewed for 20 minutes.

If courts approve the warrant, Kim could be detained for up to 30 days for questioning by the police and prosecutors and potentially held in custody for up to 18 months if his case proceeds to trial.

According to the police on Wednesday, Kim stabbed DP leader Lee Jae-myung with a modified camping knife during a visit to Gadeok Island in Busan on Tuesday.

Wearing a crown with Lee’s name, Kim approached the DP leader for an autograph.

On Wednesday, the police raided Kim's real estate agency and his home in Asan, South Chungcheong.

BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]