The chief executive of Haru Invest, a troubled South Korean cryptocurrency deposit service, was injured Wednesday after being stabbed during a fraud trial.
The CEO, only identified by his surname Lee, was stabbed in the neck by a man in his 50s during the trial at the Seoul Southern District Court and was taken to a hospital. His injuries are not life-threatening, according to authorities.
Police said they have arrested the assailant on charges of attempted murder and are investigating his motives.
Lee was indicted in February on fraud charges after Haru Invest suspended the withdrawal of approximately 1.4 trillion won (US$1.08 billion) worth of cryptocurrency, which had been deposited by customers from March 2020 to June 2023.
During the first trial in March, the courtroom was filled with victims who had lost their investments. Lee, who was initially arrested in February, was released on parole last month.
Police said they are investigating how the attacker was able to bring the knife to the courtroom despite the audience being required to pass through a security metal detector.
