Korean Job Discussion Forums

[sparkx]

I saw the tail-end of the scene last Friday night outside Limelight in Itaewon. Some Canadian dude was being hauled off by an MP for vandalizing a storefront (or something to that effect). I briefly spoke to some of the guys friends but none of them really knew what was happening.

Can anyone enlighten me as to what happened to this guy?

[Seoultrader]

In a just world they would've Rodney King'ed his vandalizing ass.

(but unfortunately all they did is prolly drag him across the street to the KNP station)

[sparkx]

Thats exactly where he was taken...I followed the protesting masses across the street and saw the fuzz bring the kid inside but i didn't stick around too long. Once the chanting of "Attica, Attica" started, I decided that a faceful of mace wasn't the way I wanted to end my night so I skipped on home whistling the theme song to "Charles In Charge."

[desultude]

Its a good question what the authority is of the U.S. forces and M.P.'s (military police). An Irish friend of mine here in Daegu was hassled one night after military curfew, when then M.P.'s were looking for their own miscreants. They demanded identification, even after she said she was Irish.

Do they have some special authority vis a vis civilians and non-U.S. nationals?

[FierceInvalid]

[desultude]

My question is by what authority may they ask foriegn nationals for identification. By the way, if you could hear my friends accent, you would know that she is either Irish, or Meryl Streep.

If you are in another country working, and a third country's military came up and demanded identification (in a very unfriendly way, wearing a gun) how would you feel? Believe it or not, not everyone in the world has police that carry guns and go around demanding identification. I can be an affront.

[diver]

I lived in Kunsan long ago, and with my short hair was approached by military police all the time. The deal then was that they could ASK for ID, but not DEMAND it. They could get the Korean police to ask you to provide it. If you weren;t military, you were fine. If you were military and tried to pass yourself off as a teacher, it would be a bad night out for you.

At that time they had no power of arrest over third party foreign nationals. I don't understand what happened in Itaewon unless it was some kind of 'citizen's arrest', or they have different systems in different places. I saw the military police in Kunsan stand and watch a Korean guy beat the crap out of a Korean woman in 1995, but did not get involved because it was out of their jurisdiction. Further, they prevented GIs from stepping in to help out. They did not feel the need to make a citizen's arrest then.

[saharzie]

A few months ago I was asked for ID by the MP's. I had no id and asked them if I had to show it to them. They said no but everybody has to carry id in Korea and the KNP can demand it. I said ok, lets all go back to my apartment and I can show you my passport. They then relented and told me to carry it in future.

[sparkx]

I imagine the situation is the same as a security guard in North America. Even though these MP's don't have direct arresting authority, they can detain and then escort the perpetrator to the cop-shop where i'm sure the MP's word is all the local authorities need to arrest/ticket the person. I've seen these MP's step into a couple maylays that didn't involve military officers -- I imagine its in the job description.

I'm just really interesting in knowing what exactly happened to this kid and what the penalty is for acting like a complete ass in front of a police station on a Friday night in my beloved Itaewon.

[Tiger Beer]

[Gwangjuboy]

[Leslie Cheswyck]

[Juggertha]

If someone walks up to me with a gun in a foreign country and asks for ID (in a country where I know its law for me to carry it)... i'm pretty sure i'd say "yessum masta".

honestly, the grief would end there. If it didn't then i'd take notice.

[Sojuman99]

[mindmetoo]