Police in Gyeonggi Province identified four Chinese nationals as suspects in a predawn vandalism attack on a Chinese restaurant in Bundang, Seongnam, and said all four left South Korea through Incheon International Airport on the same day—before detectives could execute warrants. The case, which unfolded on the first night of the Chuseok holiday, has stirred public attention because the restaurant’s name matches that of China’s top leader.
What investigators say happened
According to the Herald Business and other local outlets citing police, the suspects entered the restaurant around 2:40 a.m. Thursday, September 24, wearing masks and hats. Over roughly an hour they sprayed lacquer and paint across the interior and applied an unidentified substance—believed to be pesticide—to food ingredients stored on site. They left together in a taxi, stayed briefly at a Seoul lodging, then traveled to Incheon Airport and boarded flights back to China.
Officers reviewed CCTV along the taxi route and confirmed four people fled together, police told reporters Sunday. By the time investigators identified them, the suspects had already departed, making immediate arrest unlikely without international cooperation.
Why the motive is still unclear
Police have not filed a definitive motive. The leading theory reported in Korean media is resentment over the restaurant’s use of a name identical to that of China’s top leader, though investigators cautioned that the vandalism could have other explanations. None of the suspects had prior records in South Korea related to the restaurant, according to briefing notes cited by the Herald Business.
A police official quoted by the paper said officers confirmed the taxi escape route the same day as the attack but could not intercept the group before boarding. “We plan to continue tracking the suspects through international judicial cooperation,” the official said.
Legal and diplomatic next steps
Because the suspects are abroad, Gyeonggi police are expected to request assistance through Interpol channels and bilateral judicial treaties with China, standard procedure in cross-border property crimes. Prosecutors will decide whether to seek formal extradition if Chinese authorities locate the individuals, a process that can take months even when charges are straightforward.
Local merchants near the Bundang site told reporters they worry about copycat vandalism during holiday weeks when storefronts are unattended. Seongnam city officials said health inspectors would revisit the restaurant once owners finish cleaning contaminated food stocks.
What residents should watch
Police increased patrols around late-night food districts in Bundang over the weekend but did not raise the national terrorism alert. Business owners with politically sensitive branding were urged to check CCTV backups and report threats before long holidays.
Investigators are still analyzing samples of the sprayed substances to confirm whether pesticides or industrial chemicals were used, a step that will determine whether additional environmental or food-safety charges apply. Further updates are expected after forensic results return from the National Forensic Service later this week.