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Well-wishing South Korean offers dog meat to injured US ambassador

Associated Press
Published | Updated

South Korean Christian women pray for the speedy recovery of U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Mark Lippert, during a gathering near the U.S. embassy in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, March 7, 2015. Police on Friday investigated the motive of the anti-U.S. activist they say slashed the U.S. ambassador to South Korea, as questions turned to whether security was neglected. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) (The Associated Press)

South Korean Christian women perform during a gathering to pray for the speedy recovery of U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Mark Lippert, near the U.S. embassy in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, March 7, 2015. Police on Friday investigated the motive of the anti-U.S. activist they say slashed the U.S. ambassador to South Korea, as questions turned to whether security was neglected. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) (The Associated Press)

South Korean Christian women pray for the speedy recovery of U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Mark Lippert, during a gathering near the U.S. embassy in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, March 7, 2015. Police on Friday investigated the motive of the anti-U.S. activist they say slashed the U.S. ambassador to South Korea, as questions turned to whether security was neglected. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) (The Associated Press)

Hospital officials say a well-wishing South Korean man tried to offer dog meat to injured U.S. Ambassador Mark Lippert, who is recovering from an attack by a knife-wielding anti-U.S. activist.

An official at the Seoul hospital where Lippert was being treated said Saturday that the elderly man arrived Friday morning with a package that he said was dog meat and seaweed soup. The official said the man asked the food to be delivered to Lippert to help him heal, but the hospital rejected the food.

South Koreans commonly offer dog meat to patients recovering from surgery based on old beliefs that it helps heal wounds.

A dog lover, Lippert had been regularly seen walking his basset hound, Grigsby, near his residence in Seoul before the attack on Thursday.