Secret service members sent home from South Korea ahead of Biden trip

Just hours before President Joe Biden was set to arrive in South Korea for his six-day trip to Asia, two Secret Service employees were sent home. The employees include an agent and an armed physical security specialist. They were in South Korea to prepare for President Biden’s trip.

Citing “a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to comment publicly,” The Associated Press reported the Secret Service employees were involved in an alcohol-fueled confrontation with locals in South Korea, including a heated argument with a taxi driver. Local law enforcement filed a police report and other witnesses also lodged complaints about the Secret Service members’ behavior.

One of the employees was investigated by local police, but no charges were filed. In addition to being sent home from South Korea, the employees are also under Secret Service investigation.

“The Secret Service is aware of an off-duty incident involving two employees which may constitute potential policy violations,” spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said. He added that the incident had “no impact” to Biden’s trip.

The South Korea leg of Biden’s trip included a tour of a Samsung semiconductor chip plant near Seoul. The plant will serve as model for a $17 billion semiconductor factory Samsung plans to open in Texas.

“I know that Samsung will also be working with Stellantis on a joint venture to build a new facility in the United States that will manufacture batteries for electric vehicles,” Biden said Friday. “Investments like these are going to help catapult us forward toward a clean energy future, which we both badly need, advancing our shared economic growth, our energy security, and our climate goals.”

Biden is also set to meet with the chairman of Hyundai Motor Group on Sunday. The point of that meeting is to highlight the company’s decision to invest in a new electric vehicle and battery manufacturing facility in Savannah, Georgia.