By Here is a perfect example of mob justice against GIs in the Korean media:
At around 11:00 p.m. on July 4, police officers arrested the 19-year-old suspect, who is only identified by the letter “S,” and is a private in the U.S. Army’s Second Infantry Division, on a street in the Gwangam neighborhood in Dongducheon, for the alleged rape of the 34-year-old woman, who is only identified by the surname Lee.
Witnesses said the suspect had thrown Lee to the ground and was trying to drag her along forcefully by picking her up and grabbing her by her clothes. The suspect was caught by a group of citizens who approached after hearing the sounds of her screaming. At that time, the suspect was apparently intoxicated.
The Yangju Police Station in Gyeonggi Province took custody of the suspect on charges of attempted forced harassment and sent him to the U.S. military police after confirming his identity. [Hankyoreh - via One Free Korea]
Sounds bad right? Well let’s look at what the Dongducheon police had to say:
In response, a police officer from the Yangju Police Station said, “We just handled the case as attempted forced harassment. We couldn’t view it as attempted rape because the suspect didn’t touch Lee’s body. We weren’t in a position to question the suspect because he was drunk, so we sent him back.”
Anti-US activists are the one pushing this case to be tried as an attempted rape though the police say the soldier never even touched the woman’s body. Here is how the anti-US groups pushing this case explains that little problem:
Some activists worry the South Korean police may reduce the allegations against the suspect from attempted rape to a charge of attempted forced harassment. Ko Yoo-kyung, the director of the Headquarters for the Movement to Root out Crimes by U.S. Troops in South Korea, said, “If the U.S. soldier pulled along her at that time, the possibility is high that he would have attempted to rape her.
Great, now if you are a GI according to these anti-US activists, just by walking along side a Korean female you should be charged with rape.
I guess these anti-US activists must consider drunk ajushis exempt from this rationale considering the number of Korean men I have seen over the years physically grab women walking down the street as well as the results after foreign women to include USFK females actually are sexually assaulted by these Korean men and nothing happens to them.
Camp Humphreys soldier attacked by a mob of “concerned citizens”.
False rape allegations against GIs is nothing new here in Korea as well as the fact that mobs of “concerned citizens” often assault and then lie after the fact against GIs especially in Dongducheon. It isn’t just a Dongducheon issue either, being attacked by a mob and having false charges brought against you can happen anywhere a GI goes in Korea. Heck the Korean mob can assault soldiers on the subway, kidnap them, beat them, and take them to a sports stadium to make coerced statements against the military and who gets charged with a crime? The soldiers do!
Camp Red Cloud soldiers who were assaulted, kidnapped, beaten, and forced to make coerced statements and then were charged with assault.
To make matters it is also not uncommon for the authorities to encourage witnesses to lie just to convict a US soldier of crime. After one such conviction one of the judges that presided over the trial encouraged the soldier to appeal because of how obvious the miscarriage of justice was.
Camp Casey soldier attacked with a pipe by a Korean mob.
These miscarriages of justice are not a recent thing, this has been going on for years and not even USFK civilians are free of the mob justice in Korea. After all these travesties of justice these anti-US groups have the nerve to complain about the SOFA agreement. If anything the SOFA should be changed to give more protections to soldiers from people who want to charge them for rape without even touching the female. Considering all this it is amazing how significantly lower the USFK crime rate is in Korea when compared to the surrounding population. Not that the anti-US groups care.
If this soldier is charged with rape this will just be another example that justice for GIs is hard to find in Korea.
8:05 am on July 10th, 2008 1
Your analysis is spot on.
Reply
8:30 am on July 10th, 2008 2
if its a korean guy beating the shit out of his gf no one blinks and eye
if its a white guy then 50 koreans surround him and beat the shit out of him before the cops get there and claim he attacked them first
Reply
8:39 am on July 10th, 2008 3
in reference to pic above
thats the first thing a korean guy does it try to find something to hit you with
imagine if the soldier hit someone with a pipe
he would be charged with attempted murder
Reply
11:19 am on July 10th, 2008 4
I don’t believe any “reports” of GIs/foreigners attacking Koreans in the media here. Unless I actually witnessed it, I assume the story to be 99.9% bullsh*t!
The timing of this seems just about right as the beef protests are dwindling. Somehow, I don’t feel that the general public is ready to roll with this. They are very well showing demo fatigue and are starting to come around to the idea that they were lied to by the left.
I don’t think (hope so) that this has any traction!
“Movement to Root out Crimes by U.S. Troops in South Korea” = farkin’ ridiculous!
In reality it should be ‘Movement to Over-sensationalize the Few & Minor Law Violations by GIs in Order to Smear Them & Blame Them for All of Korea’s Problems’!
Reply
11:53 am on July 10th, 2008 5
Actually, I think this is the result of a poorly worded quote made worse by a bad translation.
http://www.hani.co.kr/arti/society/society_general/297533.html
I believe what the policeman meant to say is not that he didn’t touch her body — according to witnesses, he grabbed her clothing, threw her to the ground and tried to pull her into an alleyway — but rather that he didn’t touch particular parts of her body, namely, the genital regions. Moreover, the Ko Yoo-kyung quote should have read, “If the soldier had pulled her [into the alley] at that time, it was highly possible he intended to rape her.” OK, legally speaking, this might not constitute attempted rape, so perhaps the police did the right thing, but you could see why this might not mean much to the proverbial man on the street. If it had been a drunken ajoessi ™ pulling a young female GI into a dark alley, I’m going to assume it wasn’t to force her to play baduk.
Reply
11:58 am on July 10th, 2008 6
This case won’t get any traction but it just keeps the drum beat of GIs getting away with crimes and the unfair SOFA agreement alive in the back of the minds of the Korean public.
When a major incident like the 2002 armored vehicle accident happens the perception is there in the Korean public for the left to exploit that GIs are getting away with all these crimes and it is all because of the big bad SOFA agreement.
That is why it is important to them to publish and senstationalize any GI crime real or imagined to keep this perception alive within the public.
Reply
12:43 pm on July 10th, 2008 7
Anyone in 2ID know if this is being used as a pretense for knee-jerk restrictions yet (longer curfew, lockdown, battle buddies, arbitrary BAC limitations, etc.)?
Reply
12:45 pm on July 10th, 2008 8
pretensepretextReply
1:38 pm on July 10th, 2008 9
[...] Click here to read more. Click here to return to Korea Click here to return to MySpace News. [...]
3:22 pm on July 10th, 2008 10
Mark,
If there had been a 10pm curfew, this brutal forced harassment would never have happened.
Of course, the system is to blame… and I, for one, welcome the immediate and aggressive actions of current leadership who will, no doubt, take a proactive stance to curb these rare but unfortunate incidents.
I believe a week of post-wide “lockdown” to act as a time of reflection followed by an indefinite 9 o’clock curfew, a requirement of TWO battle buddies at all times and a new BAC restriction of (shakes Magic 8 Ball) point zero two.
Katchi Kajima
Reply
6:05 pm on July 10th, 2008 11
[...] say they “couldn’t view it as attempted rape because the suspect didn’t touch Lee’s body” — US Soldier “Rapes” Woman In Dongducheon. Our milblogger concludes that “if you are a GI according to these anti-US activists, just by [...]
6:26 pm on July 10th, 2008 12
Perhaps, but it could also be said when you write “Great, now if you are a GI according to these anti-US activists, just by walking along side a Korean female you should be charged with rape” based on a mistaken translation from a newspaper hardly anyone reads, it also keeps the drum beat alive in the front of the expat mind that ajeossi/the “mob”/Korean males/insert your favorite expat bugbear HERE will get them for going out in public with a Korean woman.
I also fail to see how this is “mob justice,” unless you define “mob justice” as passersby/local residents stopping what looks like an attempted rape (granted, the reports could be mistaken/incomplete, but at this moment we have no reason to believe they are) and turning the suspect over to police, who then turned the guy over to USFK.
Reply
8:47 pm on July 10th, 2008 13
Point taken on the mistranslation however we don’t know if the Korean witnesses are lying or not which as I have shown often happens.
The soldier could have been drunk walking down the street and bumped into the woman knocking her down and then tried to help her up when the woman started screaming at him. “Concerned Citizens” hear the woman yelling at the soldier trying to help her up and next thing you know the guy is accused by the mob of attempted rape.
Maybe he did do what he is accused of but I’m sure not going to take the word of the Hankyoreh, I’ll wait until the investigation is done.
Reply
8:54 pm on July 10th, 2008 14
Chickenhead!
Another question…what in the blazes is “attempted forced harassment?”
Is that attempting to force a hottie to sexually harass me?
Reply
10:11 pm on July 10th, 2008 15
“I’ll wait until the investigation is done”.
But the point is, you didn’t wait. You’ve already made your analysis as a ‘mob justice’.
Reply
12:53 am on July 11th, 2008 16
My question is, what was this GI doing in the first place? If you walk the streets of Korea drunk and start grabbing locals, you’re asking for trouble. Just because Korean men do this kind of crap, that is no excuse for GI’s to do the same.
Anyone who has spent a significant amount of time in Korea, as I have, knows this kind of stupidity happens all of the time. Young soldiers do stupid things in Korea when they are drunk. I spent more than 3 years in 2ID in Korea and was never charged with anything. I guess I have special powers when drinking in Korea, or maybe it’s because I never grabbed a local national.
Reply
6:07 am on July 11th, 2008 17
Tom I said “mob justice against GIs in the Korean media” and that is exactly what the Hankyoreh article is. They are taking the word of the mob over what the police are saying. Do you think the Hankyoreh would take the word of a mob of GIs accusing a Korean of crime over the police department?
thebudness, how do you know this guy was just going around grabbing locals? Like I said before how do you know he didn’t bump into her because he was drunk and then tried to help her up when she started screaming at him.
That vast majority of people serving in Korea do not get charged with anything either, so you don’t have any special powers you are just acting like everyone else:
http://rokdrop.com/2008/02/27/gi-myths-is-the-us-military-crime-rate-in-korea-out-of-control/
Reply
12:32 pm on July 11th, 2008 18
Wow ya know what really sucks is that the guy is really just an unlucky idiot. Now I wont say and I cant say who I am but well thats really the truth of the whole incident. So far 2ID hasnt been locked down or anything so Im not really sure how far this will go though. The guy would never “rape” anyone. I dont care how drunk he gets. Ive seen him tell off a few people way out of his pay grade but thats about as bad as he gets. The only reason I think he should be punished is b/c he needs to learn his lesson about drinking way to much.
Reply
2:55 pm on July 12th, 2008 19
You guys are pathetic if you ask me. Rationalizing away an atempted rape. Lets pull one form the solders playbook …#1 I was too drunk. Pardon me but when Geranimo Rameriez raped a 67 y/o grandmother THREE times, what excuses were you guys making then?
Its quite apparent this 19 y/o soldier was hammered and assualted an innocent woman, korean or otherwise. If it was your wife, sister, or daughter I am 200% sure you would be singing another tune. He would have raped her given more time and no bystanders. Dragging a women by her clothes in not bumping into her. A quick grope by a drunk adjushi isnt OK but its not cavemen raping either.
Unless this kid buys his way out he will see jail time (6 months – 1 year). If this was the states he would do a lot harder time. Stop making excuses for military members who think they can do as they please.
Several times in the past military folks have been in the wrong place at the wrong time but this is clearly not the case. Stop making excuses for behavior that is unacceptable in any country.
John
Reply
6:00 am on July 13th, 2008 20
John where is your evidence this soldier tried to rape her? I sure would like to see it because you seem so sure of yourself.
Reply
12:16 pm on July 13th, 2008 21
GI…
I have been in Korea 8 years and seen it all. I had a really good Korean friend who told me the 2 School Girls were ran over on purpose…I told him to pull his head outta his ass. I have read about all this incidents…Stabbings, naked soldier who get medal after being drunk and dead in street, hoestly if your objective and look at the facts, 9 times outta 10 your gonna be spot on.
S our 19 y/o underange drinking soldier in Area I, the assignment of thugs had raging hormones. Being away from home and in a foreign country he and his buddies think they are the shit and all dat. After slamming back soju with his buds and pouring several down the throat of a philly-juice he proceeds to walk home with any empty wallet. He sees a decent piece of ass and decides hes a modern life caveman and its time to take matters in his own hand.
Honestly, you think his just bumped into a WOMAN and then accidently DRAGGED her. Oh officer sorry “I WAS DRUNK” is the standard line they all pull off their battle buddy card.
The sad part is this 19 y/o will be get it from the Koreans and then from the military. Underaged drinking (Art 15) and then whatever else they want to stick him with. He could have gotten a gal in Hongdae from free or paid for it somewhere else. How many times have you read about a female member who decides days or weeks later it was rape. All this shit plays out like a bad novel and its over and over and over.
I have no proof as I was not there but after a while you get a feel for whos telling the truth and whos not.
Its sad that a 19 y/o f-ed up his life in a matter of minutes but stupid people do stupid things. USFK should restrict anyone under 25 to on post unless they show they are mature enough to be a responsible adult. You know the stats back me up.
Both of us will see it play out. He goes free, pays a fine, or does time. Even if he walks, USFK will give him an Art 15. Good thing hes not in the states or he would be a felon for sure.
6 months jail unless he buys his way out…
Reply
2:04 pm on July 13th, 2008 22
GI Korea,
You seem very sure that the solider was not attempting to rape her so, where is the evidence that he didnt? Also, you are coming up with a pretty weak story – he knocked down a woman and tried to help her up and she screamed and then people came over and said that he was trying to rape her? or maybe it happened the way the passerbys/actual witnesses said it did. Sorry, but I tend to believe witnesses over speculation.
-JW-
Reply
7:23 pm on July 13th, 2008 23
@21 & 22, the first mistake you all are making is believing a Hankyoreh article. The second mistake you all are making is by believing that Koreans won’t lie to implicate a GI. Let me educate you:
http://rokdrop.com/2007/04/15/you-can-expect-a-fair-trail-in-korea-sort-of/
http://rokdrop.com/2008/01/16/policewoman-rape-case-gis-released/
Even a leading Korean journalists admits he’s from “A Country of Liars”:
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200507/200507030027.html
That is why I have always stated that you wait until an investigation is completed because the Korean media especially the Hankyoreh hardly ever gets the facts right.
Reply
11:06 am on July 14th, 2008 24
GI…
We all know life isnt fair (and my spelling is horrible) but you take the good with the bad when you hang out in the ROK. As far as your post above (rape case released), a good lawyer goes a long way in this country. Guilty people do get off (and vice versa) but in the end, their version of justice is served for better for worse. FACTORS that are obvious: Soldier, drunk/hammered (soju…?), 19 y/o, and incident with a WOMAN. You know almost all the stupid incidents (stealing buses while drunk, stabbings, naked in street and dead, raping or not raping occur by someone 24 and under 98% of the time. Pulling down pants in train and whacking off, etc were committed by our nations finest (or whatever you want to call them). I just get tired of this endless cycle of idiots that tarnish the image of the USA. MASS Inprocessing should consist of a PPT of all 100% gulity asswipes and their offenses. Then people will know if they act like a jackass, their actions will be public knowledge for YEARS to come.
Justice isnt perfect here but I dont see rampent drugs in the streets and people getting shot here everyday like in the states. Its a mixed bag and you take the good with the bad.
There has to be a better way to control this inmature soldiers who continue to blemish the image of the USA. Its a PR game here and maybe the miltary doesnt committ alot of crime but still this type of behavior isnt acceptable and only feeds the anti-american sentiment.
Implimenting a PASS for under 25 and stopping curfew for those over 25 would work better than what they have in place now but it takes someone with courage to make a change because some are more interesting in their next promotion than whats good for morale and makes sense.
Point taken on mobs/lies but your bumped and fell theory is lame. I’ll go with past trends…stupid is as stupid does.
“S” should buy his way out of it, if not he will do 6 months. Geranimo did 4 years…what did you have to say back then???? Why should a total stranger (woman 34 y/o) lie. Nothing has pointed to them knowing each other so far and that is a big age gap. Honestly I just get tired of SSDD. Leadership needs to change and be creative about a solution stop off post/base crimes.
John
Reply
11:35 am on July 17th, 2008 25
Did you guys not read my post. I lived with the guy for christs sake. Im not trying to make exscuses for the guy I’m just giving what facts I can.
Reply
3:31 pm on July 17th, 2008 26
[DELETED FOR PERSONAL ATTACK] Note that anymore personal attacks will lead you to being banned. You can disagree with someone but you don’t need to launch personal attacks against them.
Reply
11:19 am on July 18th, 2008 27
Hey GI I would like to do some writing for the site if that is at all possible. Let me know if that would be ok and we can contact each other.
Reply
5:53 pm on June 11th, 2009 28
*uck them bitches boys; lol lol
Brad Purcell
bradley.purcell@skyitgroup.com
Atlanta, GA
Reply
2:12 am on November 9th, 2009 29
Yeah, maybe that army guy was totally innocent, but I’ve been walking around for a few months here in Korea, and no Koreans have given me any trouble. I walked around a bit the other day in Itaewon, and was shocked to see all the sociopaths and gangbangers there. I honestly think we are reducing prison populations in the US by taking some of our worst offenders, strapping military uniforms on them, and shipping them off to Korea. The only time I’ve feared for my safety here was around American servicemen. You’re really surprised the locals are pissed? I’m pissed off, too, seeing some of the hoods over here representing our country. You think that serviceman is innocent, despite the 30 or so witnesses who saw him do it? I would bet any amount of money you’d care to wager that servicemen commit more crime, and more serious crimes, against Korean civilians than the other way around. And I’m sure it’s not even close.
Reply
November 9th, 2009 at 9:43 am
One of the biggest problems with what you describe (and it’s true) that the command doesn’t want to address the behavior, mannerisms, dress or lifestyle ‘portrayal’ of segments of USFK members for fear of being labeled ‘racist’..this word has lost its meaning and effect in the last year. Today’s generation of military seem like they want to distance themselves from being associated with being a professional soldier; so when off duty they dress like a pop culture ‘thug’. We are losing our pride in being a soldier and fail to address the real issues which are how ALL ranks conduct themselves when not on duty. Go to the Dragon Hill Lodge on a weekend late night and observe the behavior of both enlisted and officers. There is no Command Influence there because they stick their heads in the sand and deny there’s anything wrong.
It’s just a shame that the senior leadership fail to conduct leadership by walking around. We are supposed to have an educated armed forces, but the education they are getting is from government public schools and that says it all. The last 10-15 years has seen the change where the civilian world’s ethics and values have crept into the military. It used to be you conformed or you were cast out.
it’s just sad because with all the spotlights being shone on the less desriables, there are exponentially more members of USFK that toe the line everyday and keep the train rolling without making noise.
Rant Finished
Reply
November 9th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
When i was a PFC at Campbell, I was walkin back from motor-pool with an E5.
He asked me what color he was. I said, “your black Sarge”.
He asked me what color I was. I said, “I’m white Sarge”.
He said to me, “Your wrong. We are both Green. We leave those other colors at the gate for the civilians to worry about. We have better
things to do.”
Back then, he was correct. Not these days. Those days ended in the mid 90’s.
He also told me that if we were ever in the same foxhole and a grenade came in, he was throwing me on it
I was happy for the warning.
One of the best NCO’s I had in twenty years. He got kicked out after graduation from BNCOC. Coming through the gate they smelled alcohol.
Zero tolerance clamed another. Campbell, home of MADD.
Reply
November 9th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Exactly. You can not like some one for who they are or how they act regardless of ethnicity. Seems now that every opinion or discussion turns to race. I think there is no room for hyphenated Americans, demographically pure pagents, caucuses, colleges, television networks, award shows and the like. This just solidifies (sp?) the stereotypes and promotes separation. I retired two years ago this week…I saw the writing on the wall….most of it was misspelled
I could see the change in the Army from the 80’s to 90’s to what we have now..I sure miss Ronald Reagan..