An employee of an international organization with Swiss nationality was caught driving under the influence. Having also refused a breathalyzer test, the police plan to apply charges for refusal of a breathalyzer test under the Road Traffic Act if diplomatic immunity does not apply.
According to the police on the 14th, the Mapo Police Station in Seoul apprehended a man in his 30s, Mr. A, a Swiss national, on suspicion of drunk driving around 2:30 a.m. near a club in the Hongik University area of Mapo-gu, Seoul.
Police who responded to a report of "a foreigner driving under the influence" attempted to check Mr. A's alcohol level with a breathalyzer. However, Mr. A refused the breathalyzer test, provided his personal information to the police, and then left the scene.
The police sent an official inquiry to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding whether diplomatic immunity applies to Mr. A. No response has been received yet. If diplomatic immunity does not apply, the police can file charges against Mr. A for refusal of a breathalyzer test under the Road Traffic Act. If found guilty of refusal of a breathalyzer test under the Road Traffic Act, the penalty can be imprisonment for one to five years or a fine ranging from 5 million to 20 million won.
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