The foreign ministry says the U.S. Embassy in Seoul has conveyed it is willing cooperate with police investigation into an alleged hit-and-run by a diplomat earlier this week.
A ministry official told reporters on Friday that the U.S. side understands the sensitivity of the issue and communicated through diplomatic channels that it would cooperate according to due process.
According to police on Thursday, a vehicle driven by the diplomat, who was accompanied by three others, is suspected of rear-ending a taxi while changing lanes near Seoul’s Namsan No. 3 tunnel Wednesday afternoon.
Instead of dealing with the incident, the diplomat fled to the nearby Yongsan Garrison. The taxi driver gave chase, but was blocked by U.S. Forces Korea(USFK) officials.
The diplomat and passengers refused to cooperate when the police arrived at the garrison gate. They declined to open the vehicle windows or take a breathalyzer test and then went on base.
After confirming through the foreign ministry that the driver is a U.S. diplomat, the police sent an official request to the embassy for cooperation.
Source: KBS World Radio