South Korean diplomat has his nose broken by ‘unprovoked’ punch in NYC

Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to include a statement from a United States Mission to the United Nations (USUN) spokesperson.

A South Korean diplomat was punched in the face in Midtown Manhattan in New York City on Wednesday evening in what police are calling an “unprovoked” attack.

The diplomat, whose name has been withheld, was assaulted around 8:10 p.m. near West 35th Street and 5th Avenue, according to the New York Police Department (NYPD).

“Upon arrival, officers observed a 52-year-old male, with pain and swelling to his face,” police told NextShark in a statement. “Further investigation revealed an unknown adult male approached the victim at the location, and punched him in the face, before fleeing on foot towards 6 Avenue.”

“The incident was unprovoked,” police added. “EMS responded to the location and transported the victim to NYU Hospital, in stable condition with complaint of pain. There is no arrest and the investigation remains ongoing.”

ABC7 New York reported that the attack is currently not being investigated as a hate crime.

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“The unprovoked attack against the South Korean diplomat is horrific and absolutely unacceptable,” City Councilman Keith Powers, who represents the neighborhood where the assault occurred, told 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 continued. “It is our duty to condemn these terrible incidents and take against against this continued harassment, violence, and discrimination.”

According to the NYPD, there was a 361% increase in anti-Asian hate crimes reported in the last year, with 129 reported in 2021 compared to 28 in 2020.

“We express our deep concern and regret over this incident and we wish a speedy recovery for the South Korean diplomat who was injured,” a United States Mission to the United Nations (USUN) spokesperson told NextShark.

Featured Image via Flickr / Adrian Owen (CC BY 2.0)

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