North Korea hit out Sunday at accusations that it may be behind a shocking knife attack on the US envoy to the South, branding the claims a "vicious" smear campaign by Seoul

North Korea hit out Sunday at accusations that it may be behind a shocking knife attack on the US envoy to the South, branding the claims a "vicious" smear campaign by Seoul.
  
Kim Ki-Jong slashed Mark Lippert with a paring knife Thursday in an assault that left the US envoy needing 80 stitches to a deep gash on his face.
  
Kim, 55, was immediately arrested and charged with attempted murder, and police are investigating him. He has reportedly told police that he had acted alone and denied any links to the North, calling the suggestion "outrageous".
  
The profile painted of him -- based on past brushes with the law and his blog postings -- is that of a lone assailant with strong nationalist views who saw the US as one of the main obstacles to the reunification of the divided Korean peninsula.

Kim told police he had stabbed Lippert in protest at massive US-South joint army exercises currently underway.