We had another little run in with the Korean police last week. Carla had been working at Lenny's house ( her partner teacher), and I arrived home quite late, so we hadn't cooked anything and decided to go up into Itaewon and grab some dinner at the pub which Lenny's fiance partly owns. I walked up and Carla drove on the scooter from Lenny's and picked me up half way. I then drove us into Itaewon and while waiting at the traffic light, a police car stopped and told us to pull over on the side of the road. They asked me for my license, I had my SA drivers licence, but my international licence was in the car back at the house.
The police station was about 20m away, so we (I) was told to accompany the police back to the station. The one police officer was nice and relaxed but the other was really aggressive. Anyway, I followed them to the station and was told to wait while they completed forms. We told them that we had the licence and could quickly go and get it.
They then brought out a prepared statement and told me to sign it, to which I refused. I told them that the statement was in Korean and I could not understand it, and the paragraph that had been written in English said that I had been told that I was free to leave at any time and accompanied the police voluntarily. I said that that was incorrect, as we had not been told any such information and I would not sign the document.
A few people came and translated the Korean passages for us, but I said it was still incorrect and I would not sign.
Carla had in the meantime run back home to get the international drivers licences.
Eventually Carla came back (sweating as a run in this humidity is terrible) and as it was late, and most of the people wanted to go home, and I was not willing to sign the document, they let me go.
It was a little disappointing, it seemed that one guy had a bad day, and wanted to take it out on a foreigner. I think they thought I was American military, because most of the police attitudes changed when they realised we were from South Africa.
As in every country, there are the elements that welcome people into their country and those that really think there is a new invasion and will do everything to make your life more difficult.
But all ended well, except we didn't get to go for dinner, as by then it was quite late, so MacDonalds it was.
The police station was about 20m away, so we (I) was told to accompany the police back to the station. The one police officer was nice and relaxed but the other was really aggressive. Anyway, I followed them to the station and was told to wait while they completed forms. We told them that we had the licence and could quickly go and get it.
They then brought out a prepared statement and told me to sign it, to which I refused. I told them that the statement was in Korean and I could not understand it, and the paragraph that had been written in English said that I had been told that I was free to leave at any time and accompanied the police voluntarily. I said that that was incorrect, as we had not been told any such information and I would not sign the document.
A few people came and translated the Korean passages for us, but I said it was still incorrect and I would not sign.
Carla had in the meantime run back home to get the international drivers licences.
Eventually Carla came back (sweating as a run in this humidity is terrible) and as it was late, and most of the people wanted to go home, and I was not willing to sign the document, they let me go.
It was a little disappointing, it seemed that one guy had a bad day, and wanted to take it out on a foreigner. I think they thought I was American military, because most of the police attitudes changed when they realised we were from South Africa.
As in every country, there are the elements that welcome people into their country and those that really think there is a new invasion and will do everything to make your life more difficult.
But all ended well, except we didn't get to go for dinner, as by then it was quite late, so MacDonalds it was.
