Diplomatic immunity and roadside sobriety tests in Seoul raise questions for North American readers

A Russian diplomat faced a tense moment in Seoul after a car crash, choosing not to take a breathalyzer test at the scene. A Seoul-based news agency reported that the incident involved police who suspected the diplomat had been drinking, but the diplomat asserted his immunity shielded him from the test. The episode has raised questions about how diplomatic status intersects with local traffic enforcement and roadside sobriety checks in major urban centers across North America and beyond. Yonhap’s coverage highlighted the tension between standard policing procedures and the protections granted to diplomats, a reminder for international travelers and expat communities in Canada and the United States about the potential complexities of diplomatic immunity in routine emergencies.