Russian Embassy Diplomat in Korea Refuses Alcohol Test

In Seosomun-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul, a diplomat affiliated with the Russian Embassy caused a traffic accident and then refused a breathalyzer test.

According to the Namdaemun Police Station in Seoul on the 21st, diplomat A from the Russian Embassy caused an accident by colliding with a taxi in an alleyway at around 8:46 PM the previous day. Police officers who arrived at the scene detected the smell of alcohol on A and attempted to conduct a breathalyzer test, but A refused, claiming diplomatic immunity.

Subsequently, staff from the Russian Embassy arrived at the scene and took A away.

The police are currently reviewing whether A qualifies for diplomatic immunity and whether to book A on charges of refusing a breathalyzer test under the Road Traffic Act.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "We are in close communication with domestic authorities and the Russian Embassy in Korea regarding this incident," adding, "We immediately informed the Russian Embassy that drunk driving is strictly prohibited under domestic law and requested measures to prevent similar incidents from recurring."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs plans to provide relevant domestic laws to foreign missions in Korea and urge compliance.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.