Protesters stage a rally to oppose a visit by President Joe Biden in Seoul, South Korea, May 20. | Ahn Young-joon/AP Photo
By Quint Forgey
05/20/2022 09:50 AM EDT
Updated: 05/20/2022 10:24 AM EDT
The U.S. Secret Service on Friday confirmed that two of its employees have been “placed on administrative leave” following an “off-duty incident” amid President Joe Biden’s trip to Asia this week.
Reuters reported on Friday that a member of Biden’s advance security team had been arrested in Seoul a day before Biden arrived in the South Korean capital. The report, citing local police, stated that the security team member was accused of drunkenly assaulting a South Korean citizen.
Anthony Guglielmi, chief of communications for the USSS, said in a statement that the agency “is aware of an off-duty incident involving two employees which may constitute potential policy violations.”
“The individuals will be immediately returned back to their post of duty and placed on administrative leave,” Guglielmi said. “There was no impact to the upcoming trip.”
Only one employee was investigated by local authorities, and no one was detained, arrested or criminally charged, according to a law enforcement official familiar with the situation.
Guglielmi said that USSS officials “have very strict protocols and policies for all employees and we hold ourselves to the highest professional standards.”
“Given this is an active administrative personnel matter, we are not in a position to comment further,”...
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