2nd Infantry Division Soldier Receives Fine for Assaulting a Taxi Driver in Seoul

Another day and yet another taxi cab related incident involving a 2ID Soldier:

A U.S. service member stationed in South Korea pleaded guilty to assaulting a taxi driver in Seoul and was fined roughly $2,250 last month. The unidentified service member admitted to entering the taxi in the Gangnam district of the capital city at 4:11 a.m. Feb. 17, according to an Aug. 14 verdict sheet from the Seoul Central District Court.

South Korean law enforcement agencies and courts typically do not identify defendants except in extreme cases, such as homicide. After getting into the back seat of the taxi, the 52-year-old driver told the service member that another passenger had already reserved the taxi, according to the court document.

The service member then exited the taxi and walked toward the driver, at which point the driver also left the taxi. The service member then pushed the driver’s chest, choked him and punched him in the face several times, according to the court record.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link, but the Soldier also paid a settlement to the taxi driver which was smart. Paying the settlement usually leads to much lesser punishment.