American YouTuber Known for Annoying and Troublesome Behavior
Continues Disruptive Acts Like Kissing the Statue of Peace in Korea
A man in his 20s was arrested on the spot by the police for assaulting YouTuber Johni Somali (24), who insulted the Statue of Peace by kissing it.
On the 31st, the Songpa Police Station in Seoul arrested a man in his 20s, Mr. A, on the spot for assaulting Somali. Mr. A is accused of assaulting Somali, who was doing a YouTube live broadcast, on a road in Garak-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, around 9:30 a.m. that day. After receiving a report, the police arrived and arrested Mr. A, who shouted "Good night, Somali" toward Somali. It is currently known that Mr. A has been taken to the local police station.
A man in his 20s who assaulted YouTuber Johny Somali (24) for insulting the Statue of Peace by kissing it was arrested on the spot by the police. On the 31st, Yonhap News reported that Mr. A, a man in his 20s who assaulted Johny Somali, was arrested on the spot by the police. [Photo by YouTube channel 'Johny Somali Live']
Somali, who was assaulted, is currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Songpa-gu. A police official stated, "He sustained minor injuries to the extent that he walked to the hospital." Earlier, Somali has been reported to the police on two charges, assault and drug use. A police official said, "We plan to investigate the related reports."
'Instigator of Assault' Somali, What Will Be the Level of Punishment?
Somali, an American-Somali YouTuber with 20,000 subscribers, mainly films himself traveling to various countries causing public nuisance or acting outrageously. In Korea, Somali received much criticism for insulting acts such as kissing the Statue of Peace during YouTube live broadcasts and causing disturbances by deliberately spilling cup noodle broth on tables in convenience stores.
As Somali's behavior became controversial, YouTube closed his account. In response, on the 28th, he posted on his secondary YouTube channel, 'Johni Somali Live,' a selfie holding a photo of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe with the caption, "Shinzo Abe, I fought Koreans for you." As Somali's inappropriate behavior continued, on the 24th, he was punched in the face by a man while doing a live broadcast on the street.
Also, on the 27th during a broadcast, he was kicked by another man. Amid criticism labeling Somali as an 'instigator of assault,' a martial arts YouTuber offered a reward of 2 million won to anyone who finds Somali, leading to multiple tips. During this process, there were claims that Somali requested police protection, but the police denied this.
Meanwhile, according to the National Police Agency crime statistics, the number of foreign residents in Korea has increased since the COVID-19 pandemic, and the number of foreign suspects residing in Korea rose from 29,450 in 2021 to 32,737 in 2023. Generally, when foreigners commit crimes in Korea, they are punished under Article 2 of the Criminal Act.
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