The answer is, so far, not a whole lot, it would seem.
According to the Herald Gyeongje, Women Corea released a statement today demanding that Seoul Seobu prosecutors quickly indict the GI accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl in Mapo and steeling her notebook computer. They noted it’s been over half a month since police turned the case over to the prosecutors to decide whether to indict, but prosecutors have not indicted the GI. This means the prosecutors, who hold “absolute power,” is minding USFK.
They also warned—perhaps unaware of the impact such a warning could have on any future discussions over amending the SOFA—that if the prosecutors didn’t quickly indict the suspect, they would run up against public resistance.
In response, a high-ranking prosecutor said prosecutors will still conducting additional investigations, and that the indictment wasn’t coming any later than it would in other cases. He also stressed that the suspect and USFK was cooperating fully with the investigation and that he and his office were not carrying out a lazy investigation or minding USFK.
Marmot’s Note: From what I’ve read about the case, I think it’s very possible prosecutors ARE 눈치보기ing by delaying a decision… but it don’t think it’s USFK’s nunchi they’re looking at. I guess we’ll find out soon enough, though.
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Hopefully, the investigation will run its normal course and guilt will be assigned where it is due. Hey, I am not a USFK apologist, but there is nothing wrong with USFK making sure their soldiers get due process, and aren’t prosecuted because a women’s group demands it. The comments above say Women Corea are demanding an indictment – not exactly the unbiased approach one would hope for. But I am guessing that this is a “she said, he said” issue. He says all he did was take her laptop after consensual sex. She says he came back and raped her, and then left with her laptop. As time has gone by, it has begun to appear (to me) more and more that the young lady’s claims may not be standing up to scrutiny – I wonder if she sent text messages to some friend detailing a theft of her laptop and how she was gonna get the guy fried. I wonder if the police have discovered such a thing, or something similar. I wonder if the police found used condoms. I wonder if they determined perhaps her own fingerprints on the wrappers. I wonder if the police are trying to wish this albatross away. I wonder if the other couple they spent the evening drinking with are claiming the young lady was pretty sweet on the guy – and maybe she confided to the friend that they were gonna go back to her place and do some bumping under the sheets. So many possibilities – but the time factor – now going on two months – since the alleged offense is deafeningly loud.
‘ I wonder if the police have discovered such a thing, or something similar. I wonder if the police found used condoms. I wonder if they determined perhaps her own fingerprints on the wrappers.’ wiessejasshole
are we sure westerners are 40 years ahead when it comes to women and rape? wiessejajerk, do you like japanese cartoons?
can anyone give a reason, other than personal dissatisfaction, why US military personnel are not confined to base? I mean in any country.
To pawikirogii – How about you offer an opinion about why an alleged rape that took place two months ago has not yet led to an indictment? Calling me an asshole (showing your true lack of an intelligent response) doesn’t do anything to contradict my suspicion.
To Ladron – Uh…maybe because US military personnel are not slaves or for the most part, criminals. The US military resides in South Korea at South Korea’s invitation. Are you suggesting that a single rape conviction in a single year, and some other relatively minor crimes are indicative of a US military population that is largely criminal? If you do the research, you will likely find that when comparing the population of USFK and the population of Korea, USFK personnel are far far less likely to commit on of the five serious crimes listed on the KNP’s website (Murder, Rape, Larceny, etc.) Please explain why the crimes of a very very very small minority should mandate restriction to a military installation?
To pawikirogii – Did your parents have any chidren that were not born dain bramaged?
I am suggesting nothing of the sort. And I said “in any country”. Military personnel being 24/7 employees of the government, I was just wondering why they are not all kept on base, crime or no crime.
To Ladron –
US military people are indeed employees of the government “24/7″ only to an extent. They are entitled to, and do receive, vacation time, holidays, weekends, etc. Someone is on duty at all times, of course, but not everyone is on duty all of the time. Some of the USFK military have their families here in Korea, and most of the military live on the economy, whether their families are here with them or not, and NOT on the military installation. You see, the incredibly vast majority of them go unnoticed in Korea restaurants, theaters, etc., because they are normal people whose only difference is that they have chosen to serve in the military. It is the very few who make the headlines. What the Korea Times never seems to publish are the stories about whole units volunteering time at orphanages, or in the coutryside during clean-up operations after a typhoon, like the one that hit Korea last year. Or hosting Korean children in their homes during holiday seasons. But I doubt there is a society on earth that prints more good in the paper than bad. Bad sells. Bad sparks public interest.
Haha I’m not surprised, Korean prosecutors are bunch of clowns.
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