Police to conduct digital forensics on phone of U.S. serviceman accused of sexual assault

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Police to conduct digital forensics on phone of U.S. serviceman accused of sexual assault

Published: 31 Jan. 2023, 19:27

American soliders at the U.S. Air Base in Gusan in 2017. Photo unrelated to the story. [YONHAP]

The Korean police will be conducting digital forensics on a mobile phone owned by a U.S. serviceman accused of sexual assault at a U.S. airbase in Gunsan, North Jeolla.

According to the Gunsan police on Tuesday, police officers have already seized the mobile phone owned by the serviceman, who has been indicted without detention for allegedly assaulting a Korean woman.

Gunsan police said the serviceman is still at the U.S. base, though they have yet to release further personal details such as age or rank.

The woman in her 20s called for help while running out of the front gate of the U.S. base around 9 a.m. on July 24.

The woman was discovered by military personnel and taken to U.S. military police.

The woman entered the base barracks the night before, according to police.

Witness statements, including those of the accused, have been handed to the Korean police by the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations.

Korean police said the accused denies the charges against him, claiming the sex was consensual.

However, based on their preliminary investigation, police believe the woman was passed out from alcohol consumption when the alleged activity occurred.

The case was referred to the prosecutors’ office in November.

“While the arguments from both sides contradict each other and no physical evidence has been found, the statements by the victim have been consistent and detailed,” a police officer said. “We considered it credible.”

The prosecutors investigating the case requested the police to further investigate for evidence, including conversations that the accused had over his mobile phone.

BY KIM JUN-HEE [lee.hojeong@joongangh.co.kr]