The Facts
On Wednesday, South Korean police announced they had arrested 17 American soldiers for smuggling synthetic marijuana through the US military's postal service and distributing it to at least two US army camps based in Gyeonggi Province between February and May 2022.
Four Koreans and one Filipino national were also arrested for participating in the illegal drug scheme, believed to have been facilitated through communication on Snapchat.
The Spin
Narrative A
Though the US military bases across South Korea have historically been deemed potential sources of drug trafficking, the fact that the US investigation division assisted the country's law enforcement in an unprecedented search-and-seizure operation suggests the tide is turning on this issue.
Narrative B
This is the latest embarrassment for US forces in South Korea after one of its soldiers, who spent two months in prison on assault charges, crossed the border into North Korea during a civilian tour of a border village. If the US intends to remain in the country, it must discipline its armed forces and accustom its troops to respect the nation's laws and culture.
