An X-ray image of the teenager whose jaw was fractured in an assault by a USFK soldier on Nov. 17. Captured from JTBC

A U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) sergeant in his 30s is under investigation for allegedly assaulting an 18-year-old male student in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, leaving the teenager with severe injuries.

According to the police, the sergeant, identified as A, is accused of punching the teenager, B, in the face near Pyeongtaek Station around 12:30 a.m. on Nov. 17. The attack caused significant injuries, and A has been charged with assault. The Pyeongtaek Police Station booked Sergeant A on charges of assault.

The victim's father described the severity of the injuries during an interview with JTBC on Nov. 19. "The doctor said it was hard to believe this injury was caused by a person's fist," he said. "In all his years as a plastic surgeon, he had never seen bones damaged to this extent from a punch."

He added that B would need to wear oral prosthetics and keep his jaw stabilized for at least eight weeks. "The injuries are so severe that he might suffer lifelong complications," the father said.

The sergeant claimed that he was also assaulted by B, prompting police to charge the teenager with assault. However, CCTV footage from the scene does not show B physically reacting to the sergeant's actions.

The altercation reportedly began when A confronted B, asking, "Why are you staring at me?" Witnesses mentioned that A had been arguing loudly with a Korean woman at the time, which attracted the attention of passersby.

The father added, "The Korean woman with the sergeant cursed at my son, asking why he was staring. My son responded that he wasn't looking, but she kept pointing at him and approaching. As she continued swearing and pushing his chest, the sergeant punched my son when he was unprepared."

Regarding the incident, the sergeant's wife told the JTBC program, "Since my husband hit the victim, he is unquestionably in the wrong. I wasn't even aware that both sides had been booked, and we have no intention of pressing charges against A. If the victim and their family are willing, we are open to visiting and apologizing in person," she said.

The sergeant is expected to be summoned by police for further questioning as they investigate the incident.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.