By Kim Rahn
A bar in Itaewon, central Seoul, which had an arson attack allegedly by a U.S. soldier, was an establishment that all United States Forces Korea (USFK) personnel were banned from entering.
According to the USFK safety information Thursday, the bar has been off-limits to U.S. Army personnel since March 2003, along with 51 other areas and establishments in Seoul including bars and brothels.
As the incident also took place during the Army’s late-night curfew imposed following two alleged rapes of teenage Korean girls by U.S. soldiers, doubts are rising over the efficacy of the curfew and off-limits measures.
Concerning the bar in question and other establishments, the USFK says on its website: “To help maintain USFK personnel’s welfare and safety, the following areas and establishments within the ROK are off-limits. Service members found in an off-limits area or participating in a prohibited activity are in violation of USFK Regulation.”
The soldier, identified as Private “P,” is suspected of setting fire to the bar and running away at 2:38 a.m. Tuesday after a dispute with the owner over his bill, according to Yongsan Police.
The time when he allegedly committed the crime was within the curfew, set on Oct. 7 after the sexual assaults by U.S. soldiers in Dongducheon, Gyeonggi Province and Mapo in Seoul. U.S. personnel are banned from leaving their bases between midnight and 5 a.m. on weekdays and 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. on weekends.
Public criticism is growing over the crime committed at a “banned place” during a “banned time.”
Park Kyung-soo, director of the National Campaign for Eradication of Crimes by U.S. Troops in Korea, said Eighth U.S. Army commander Lt. Gen. John D. Johnson’s patrolling Itaewon earlier last month was only for “show” and the off-limits regulations have no binding force.
“The U.S. Army readopted the curfew, but it seems they don’t have the will to follow it,” he said.
Park added it was a shock that such an act took place at this time when public sentiment toward American soldiers was negative following the rapes, adding it shows a lack of discipline.
In the meantime, Private P claimed during questioning Wednesday that the fire was accidental. “He said he lit up a candle in a small room of the bar and went to the restroom, and found a fire broke out when he returned. He claimed he went out of the bar to get a fire extinguisher, not to flee,” a police officer said.
“But we suspect he set the fire as he didn’t let other people know about it and didn’t try to put it out,” he said. The police will refer the case to the prosecution.