American lifestyle influencer Stone Park, known online as Stonec, was arrested by South Korean police early on June 22 after allegedly assaulting two off-duty U.S. soldiers in a viral street confrontation near a major American military base.
According to local authorities, the incident occurred around 6 a.m. local time in the Sinjang-dong neighborhood of Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, adjacent to Osan Air Base. Park, a heavily tattooed U.S. national in his 30s who has lived in South Korea for several years, was reportedly intoxicated when he approached a group that included two U.S. Forces Korea soldiers in their 20s and their female companion. He had no prior connection to the victims.
Video footage of the altercation, which quickly spread across platforms including X, Instagram and Reddit, shows Park kicking, pushing, punching and shoving members of the group. One soldier was knocked unconscious, though he later recovered, while Park also allegedly threatened the woman in the group. Civilian witnesses alerted police, who arrested Park at the scene.
Park has been identified across Korean media and social platforms as the suspect. The influencer, who often posts content flaunting his lifestyle and financial success in South Korea, claimed to investigators that the soldiers had ignored him and used profanity first, provoking the confrontation.
He has been booked on assault charges as police continue their investigation, reviewing video evidence and gathering witness statements. No additional charges or court dates have been publicly detailed as of late June 2026.
The case has drawn online comparisons to fellow controversial American influencer Johnny Somali, who faced legal issues in South Korea for public nuisance offenses. Following the incident, Park continued posting on Instagram, framing the events as self-defense in some clips and reportedly referring to himself as the “Korean George Floyd” while accusing police of racism during his arrest.
The episode has sparked widespread discussion and backlash on social media, with many criticizing public behavior by foreigners in South Korea and highlighting tensions near U.S. military installations. As the matter involves U.S. citizens on both sides, it remains under South Korean jurisdiction for the civilian suspect, with potential coordination involving U.S. military authorities regarding the victims. Official updates are expected from Pyeongtaek police and major outlets such as Yonhap News.
