Marmot and Nomad are already all over this story, but a trio of GIs are in hot water for beating a taxi cab driver in Uijongbu:

South Korean police want to further question two soldiers accused of attacking a taxi driver early Saturday morning in Seoul’s Gangnam District.

Police said Tuesday they detained and questioned a 22- year-old sergeant and 27-year-old private first class but that a third suspect had fled the scene.

The two soldiers were turned over to the U.S. military after the initial round of questioning, police said during a phone interview.

A U.S. Forces Korea spokesman verified there was a weekend incident with U.S. troops, but was unable to provide details.

The police said the three soldiers ditched a taxi at around 3 a.m. Saturday after running up about a $93 taxi fare. Police said the 35-year-old taxi driver chased down the soldiers, who then beat and choked him, causing minor injuries.

Police said people witnessing the attack called the police and that the soldiers paid the fare before police arrived.

One officer suffered minor injuries when he was thrown into a wall during a scuffle while apprehending the soldiers, police said.

One solider is stationed at Camp Stanley, police said, and the other is stationed at Camp Humphreys. [Stars & Stripes]

According to the Korean news report the Marmot translated the soldiers were traveling from Uijongbu to Chamshil and were charged a $93 dollar fare which is outrageous. I have taken a cab from Itaewon to Uijongbu before for 30,000 won. Uijongbu to Chamshil for $93 is a total rip off.

However, the soldiers were out past curfew which puts all the power into the taxi cab driver’s hands to demand over priced fares. These soldiers were probably drunk and pissed at being ripped off and did not pay him his full fare which the taxi cab driver than scuffled with them over it. The taxi drivers know that no matter what happens he won’t get in trouble and the soldiers will. So he will go to the hospital put some bandages on himself and begin lobbying for his blood money. By the time these soldiers finish paying the blood money and lawyer fees they will wish they were not out past curfew.

I have blown off these cab drivers from Uijongbu before myself, but first and most importantly of all, I wasn’t out past curfew, plus when I did not pay cab driver trying to rip me off I would write down all his information from the driver’s panel to report him, and then when I arrived at the US facility I’m going to I would explain to the Korean gate guard or KATUSA what the cab driver is trying to pull who then go to the KNP at the gate to deal with the cab driver. This works every time if you are not drunk or out past curfew. If you are drunk and out past curfew and get ripped off I have little sympathy for you.

The next best thing to do is not to use the cab drivers in Uijongbu, especially the ones at the Uijongbu train station or from Stanleyville because these guys are sharks. It is no coincidence that the vast majority of taxi cab related incidents involving GIs originate from cab drivers in Uijongbu.

On a good note this is the first taxi cab related incident since the Kunsan Beatdown in April. That is six whole months without a taxi cab related incident which must be some kind of record. In 2ID if your unit could go six months without an alcohol related incident you received a streamer for your unit guide on as well as a day off. Maybe a no taxi cab related incident streamer for six months should be attached to unit’s guide ons as well.