South Korean diplomat attacked in New York City: police

A South Korean diplomat was assaulted in New York City on Wednesday night, getting punched in the face in what authorities described as an “unprovoked” attack.

According to the New York City Police Department, officers responded to a 911 call at around 8:10 p.m. about an assault near West 35th Street and 5th Avenue in Midtown Manhattan.

“Upon arrival, officers observed a 52-year-old male, with pain and swelling to his face. Further investigation revealed an unknown adult male approached the victim, punched him in the face, and fled on foot towards 6 Avenue,” police said in a statement provided to The Hill.

According to the police, further investigation found that an unknown adult man approached the victim, punched him in the face and then fled on foot towards 6th Avenue.

“The incident was unprovoked. EMS responded to the location and transported the victim to NYU Hospital, in stable condition with complaint of pain.”

The attack occurred close to Manhattan’s Koreatown and less than two miles from United Nations headquarters.

“The unprovoked attack against the South Korean diplomat is horrific and absolutely unacceptable,” New York City Council member Keith Powers, who represents the area where the attack occurred, said, according to NBC News.

“Over the past year, we’ve seen a rise in hate crimes against the AAPI community that is abhorrent and cannot continue,” Powers said. “It is our duty to condemn these terrible incidents and take against against this continued harassment, violence, and discrimination.”

The NYPD reported a 361 percent increase in anti-Asian hate crimes last year, from 28 in 2020 to 129 in 2021, part of a 100 percent increase overall.

The name of the victim in Wednesday’s incident has not been disclosed. No arrests have been made and the investigation into the incident is ongoing.

In a statement provided to The Hill, Hyun-seung Choi, Consul and Press Attaché for the South Korean Consulate General in New York, said, “We are outraged by this senseless and deplorable violence and look forward to a swift resolution of this unfortunate incident. To that end, the Consulate General is closely cooperating with the New York Police Department (NYPD). The department has assured that the investigation of the incident is being carried out in a prompt and thorough manner.”

— Updated at 4:04 p.m.