SEOUL, South Korea -- An investigation into a weekend brawl between U.S. soldiers and South Korean activists on a Seoul subway could take time because of sharply conflicting claims by both sides, South Korean police said Monday.

The activists allege that one of the soldiers, Pvt. John Murphy, started the brawl by punching former opposition legislator Suh Kyong-won, who was handing out fliers about two South Korean girls who died June 13 after being struck by a U.S. military vehicle.

But Murphy and two other soldiers claim they were the ones assaulted when Murphy declined to accept the Korean-language flier, which he cannot read.

Since the fatal incident in June, activists have been demanding more South Korean jurisdiction over U.S. soldiers stationed in the country.

"The investigation is expected to take time as testimonies from the American soldiers and the South Korean activists are very conflicting," said a police officer at Seoul's Chongyangri station.

The officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Murphy maintained that he was attacked first, briefly abducted and forced to apologize for the brawl. Pvts. Eric Owens and Shane Tucker were also questioned by police Sunday night.

The U.S. military command in Seoul said in a statement Sunday that one South Korean activist, believed to be Suh, punched Murphy in the face, and then others joined the attack. Murphy allegedly struck Suh in defense, it said.

Korean activists claimed that Murphy swore at Suh and punched his face and upper body.

Suh suffered a broken nose and other injuries to the face, they said.

The U.S. military has rejected the South Korean government's request to give up jurisdiction in the fatal June incident. It plans to court-martial the two men whose armored vehicle -- also of the 2nd Infantry Division -- struck and killed the girls, on charges of negligent homicide.

The U.S. military has apologized for the incident and promised financial compensation to the victims' families.

About 37,000 U.S. soldiers are stationed in South Korea, a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War.