US Secret Service: Two sent home after 'incident' in South Korea

[Mr. Sparkle]

Source: BBC

Two Secret Service employees have been put on a plane back to the US after their involvement in an "altercation" in South Korea. The duo - part of the advance team ahead of President Joe Biden's visit to the country - were bar hopping in Seoul on Thursday night, US media reports. One of the employees is said to have got into a physical altercation with a local taxi driver. No one was detained or arrested but Seoul police investigated the incident.

The agency "is aware of an off-duty incident involving two employees which may constitute potential policy violations", Anthony Guglielmi, a Secret Service spokesman, said in a statement. He said both employees have been placed on administrative leave and their absence will have no impact on Mr Biden's trip. The president's trip to Seoul is the first leg of a four-day swing through Asia amid growing concern over sabre-rattling in the region by China and North Korea.

Sources confirmed to the BBC's US partner CBS News that the Secret Service pair - a special agent and a security specialist - were sent home on Friday afternoon, barely an hour before the president's official arrival in the South Korean capital. According to CBS, the administration will investigate whether they were intoxicated at the time of the incident, rather than the incident itself. It is unclear how the altercation with the taxi driver began.

Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-61526896

[winstars]

1. Their predecessors at the SS were out drinking in Dallas late night on November 21st 1963

Allegedly

[Peregrine Took]

6. And another incident from the WH:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/may/14/secret-service-agent-retires-after-alcohol-finding-in-white-house-car-crash

[winstars]

7. Who trained them, James T. West and Artemus Gordon???

[littlemissmartypants]

22. Hahaha.

❤

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

2. Getting into an altercation with a South Korean national is a big-time no-no.

OTOH, when I was stationed in S. Korea we were told not to get into Korean taxicabs without getting the fare quoted by the driver or make sure there was a working meter. That could have been what the altercation was about; there were a few unscrupulous cabbies who would try to price gouge.

[AZLD4Candidate]

5. Avoid black taxis like the plague in Asia

That's really grounds for conflict. Always use Uber, Grab, or a metered taxi.

[Botany]

3. "It is unclear how the altercation with the taxi driver began."

Just a guess.

[AZLD4Candidate]

4. There is a reason a lot of bars in Seoul refuse to let in GIs and LEOs from the US

If there is a problem in a bar, it's always the American that starts it.

If military ID or LEO ID is produced, they normally refuse service and refuse to allow in.

[Irish_Dem]

8. I am sick of hearing the SS stories of drugs, booze, hookers.

And other illegal, irresponsible behaviors.

Time to clean house.

[Karma13612]

13. You got that right! Eom

[GoldandSilver]

24. There's a culture of Frat Boy' in the Secret Service

No longer admired for their exemplary professional conduct, the Secret Service has unmasked themselves to be nothing more than drunken frat boys with an air of privilege.

Those responsible for oversight should be the first to go.

That thing with the expensive apartments, shiny new weaponry, etc. is the tip of an iceberh. A cover-up is not making things better.

[Irish_Dem]

25. Exactly.

I agree with all your points.

Yes the recent scandal about the foreign infiltration and bribery of SS is not a one off. Just the one we found out about. And now of course it is all being down played and forgotten.

[WhiteTara]

9. tfg hires, I'm sure

[SunSeeker]

10. Fire the douchebags.

They are not performing their mission and are hurting our country's interests. They can get jobs working crowd control at MAGA rallies. They'll fit right in.

[Karma13612]

12. I agree.

Not sure just how feasible it would be, but we need to clean house in the SS. Like a poster above, I am fed up with these stories. And the ones who were hood-winked in DC recently? Bribed with expensive toys and apartments?? WTAF??

When they are abroad, even off duty, they are representing the US. They need to be on guard and act with decorum.

I truly believe that for every single SS hire currently employed, there are at least 100 in the US who would give their right arm to be in their shoes. And they would be serious, straight arrows (in the professionalism arena, not sexual preference), no nonsense, smart, non-MAGA, non-white supremacist, old fashioned boy scout types.

Come on, we have got to do better.

[ggma]

14. When I was stationed at Camp Humphreys in the 80's

We were told to do our business on Post in order to be as safe as possible, because even if you were right in the case, you were wrong. We were guests in their country.

Funny thing; we were given the same type of warning when I arrived at Fort Polk, Louisiana.

ggma

[Karma13612]

20. Haha!!👍🙋🏼‍♀️

[SunSeeker]

15. Yes, it's a great gig, with excellent benefits. We can get MUCH better people than this.

I suggest they hire more women.

[Karma13612]

21. Good idea! 👍❤️ Eom..

[Hekate]

11. Nothing like keeping a low profile, is there? Who picks these guys? nt

[doc03]

16. I question the president's safety when there are

problems like this within the ranks of the people that are supposed to protect him. Heads need to roll.

[ToxMarz]

17. The false equivalency "both sides" media have referred to a

"similar" incident under the Trump administration WHERE THE AGENT WAS HIRING PROSTITUTES! NO! That's not a similar incident!

An "altercation" (argument maybe) in public with someone you are legally interacting with vs secretly and illegally meeting a sex worker with God knows what connections and opening yourself up to compromise/blackmail or worse. NOT SIMILAR!

[OldBaldy1701E]

23. You are absolutely correct.

However, the first thought I had when reading this was 'Trying to get some strange, were we?'

[ThoughtCriminal]

18. An inherit problem with the Secret Service

and all law enforcement agencies is that the career seems to be very attractive to the last people you would want in positions of authority.

[GoldandSilver]

26. Some people are born assholes

Others learn to be one.

For example, what do you think Derek Chauvin, ranking officer on scene, was teaching the other 3 officers, while leaning on George Floyd’s neck, showing off his power for everyone to see.

Be glad none of them are police officers today.

The punishment needs to be harsh, so it’s lesson is more harsh than the one being taught by the Chauvin’s of the world.

Clearly, bad behavior has become the culture inside the Secret Service and a detailed cleansing is called for.

[CRK7376]

19. While stationed in Korea 2003-2004

as a Lieutenant Colonel, myself and a senior NCO got to sweep the Iteawon Bar district of US personnel. All Majors and LTCs got the duty once every three months or so....Not fun getting drunk service members to leave the clubs....