U.S. Soldier Held for Sexual Assault

A U.S. soldier is in police custody for sexually assaulting a Korean waitress in Dongducheon, Gyeonggi Province late Tuesday night and attacking the owner of the bar where she worked. Police have applied for an arrest warrant.

Police were called by the 31-year-old bar owner around midnight after the 26-year-old drunken corporal of the Second Infantry Division hit him in the face several times when the owner tried to stop him from sexually assaulting the waitress, Dongducheon police said Wednesday.

The incident occurred despite the joint efforts of the city police and U.S. military police there to increase safety. Police volunteers have been patrolling the streets with U.S. military police since a teenage girl was raped by a U.S. soldier in her rented room in September last year.

"The 2nd Infantry Division deeply regrets the incident," deputy commander Brig. Gen. J.B. Burton said in a news release. "We are fully engaged in a cooperative effort with the Korean National Police and local authorities to thoroughly investigate and respond to this incident."