A 30-year-old American man was arrested by police for allegedly assaulting two U.S. soldiers he didn’t know in Pyeongtaek, South Korea. After video of the incident spread online, some foreigners mistakenly accused a Korean vlogger of being the assailant. However, it was later confirmed that the man who committed the assault is also an American citizen.
On Tuesday, the Pyeongtaek Police Department announced that they have formally charged the American man, identified as Mr. A, with assault.
Mr. A allegedly punched two male U.S. soldiers in their 20s around 6:00 a.m. (Korean time) on June 21 on a street in Sinjang-dong, Pyeongtaek. He also threatened a woman who tried to intervene.
Police arrested Mr. A at the scene after receiving a report. At the time, Mr. A reportedly did not know the victims and was intoxicated.
The released video shows a long-haired blonde man kicking one victim and punching another man in the face as he attempted to intervene.
Mr. A also pushed and threatened the woman who was trying to help. After one of the victims collapsed unconscious, he lay on the ground and danced. He then mocked the responding police officers by pulling out a bundle of 50,000 KRW (about 32.35 USD) bills, exhibiting erratic behavior.
According to police reports, Mr. A claimed during questioning that he became angry because the victims ignored him and insulted him.
As the incident video circulated on international social media platforms, some foreigners mistakenly identified the assailant as Korean, criticizing him for his inappropriate behavior and brazen demeanor. However, the investigation confirmed that the assailant is also an American citizen.
The police have charged the man and are investigating the details of the incident.
After watching the video, netizens reacted with comments such as, “Both the victim and the assailant are American? What on earth is going on?” “At least it’s a relief that he’s not Korean,” and “The fact that an American assaulted U.S. soldiers near a military base is undeniable.”