HONOLULU (AP) – A tourist whose desire to do yoga on a plane led to his arrest is being allowed to leave Hawaii and return home to South Korea.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin Chang previously allowed Hyongtae Pae to be released on bond, but prevented him from leaving the state because of concerns about him being on a plane again.
On Monday, Chang made the modification after Pae’s defense attorney asked that Pae return to the Honolulu Federal Detention Center. Jin Tae “JT” Kim said his client can’t afford to keep staying in a bed and breakfast or to pay to see a doctor for more medication.
Pae and his wife were celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary with a Hawaii vacation and the couple was headed home when he was arrested.
According to court records, Pae didn’t want to sit in his seat during the meal service on last month’s flight from Honolulu to Tokyo, so he went to the back of the plane to do yoga and meditate. Authorities say he refused to return to his seat, threatened crew members and passengers and shoved his wife. The pilot turned the plane around and returned to Honolulu. Pae told authorities after his arrest that he hadn’t slept in 11 days.