A soldier from the United States Forces Korea stationed at Osan Air Base in Gyeonggi Province, allegedly raped a Korean woman he met in a club on April 1, Gangnam Police Station said Monday.
The American soldier is now facing charges for sexual assault in South Korea, according to Korea Times.
Police stated that the woman had become intoxicated at the Gangnam club, where she was approached by the soldier, who then took her to a nearby hotel at 7:30 a.m.
She went to the police that same day, reporting that she had been raped by the man.
The investigation, which lasted one month and analyzed security camera footage from the club and hotel, identified the soldier as the alleged rapist.
He was brought in for questioning on June 17 and was formally indicted on June 20, as per the protocol of the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), a mutual defense treaty between Korea and the U.S.
Although the police have legally collected DNA samples, the suspect continues to deny all accusations.
A similar case occurred in February when a 21-year-old Korean-American man, stationed at a base in Pyongtaek, was arrested after being accused of sexually assaulting a 24-year-old woman he met through a phone-chat app and went for a drink, Stars and Stripes reported.
The soldier was being investigated by the Korean National Police and U.S. Army Crime Investigation Department, 2nd Infantry Division spokesman Lt. Col. Chris Hyde said in an email.
“The details of this incident and surrounding circumstances are currently under investigation,” Hyde added.
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