Two arrested, others sought after fight among about 10 foreigners in Pyeongtaek
Version 3: No new facts on the cause emerged; later reports added a headline-level account saying the two men were booked rather than detained, and further coverage described the location as a residential-area park and referred to wooden sticks in the suspects’ vehicle.
In short
Police in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, arrested two men in their 20s — a Russian national and a Kyrgyz national — after a fight involving about 10 foreigners late on Oct 3, and are tracing others who fled. Reports differ on whether the fight happened on a street or at a park in Poseung-eup. Police say they will establish the motive through interpretation because the suspects do not speak Korean well, and have left open the possibility that the two arrested men were themselves victims.
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Police in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, arrested two men in their 20s after a fight involving about 10 foreigners late on Oct 3 and are tracing other suspects who fled. Officers received a 112 report at about 23:30 saying several foreigners were fighting in Poseung-eup, Yonhap reported, citing Pyeongtaek Police Station; Dong-A Ilbo, Asia Economy, Maeil Business and Hankook Ilbo carried the same time and location. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
The arrested men are a Russian national and a Kyrgyz national, both in their 20s, held on suspicion of violating the Act on Punishment of Violent Acts, the reports said. Yonhap, Asia Economy and Maeil Business reported that both were being treated at a hospital for injuries including fractures; Dong-A Ilbo reported that the Russian national was injured and receiving treatment. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
Video recorded by a volunteer patrol member who witnessed the scene, and provided to Yonhap, showed several foreigners swinging bats at a crouched person and kicking a man, then scattering as patrol members ran toward them, Yonhap, Asia Economy, Maeil Business and Hankook Ilbo reported. Asia Economy said wooden sticks were found in a vehicle belonging to the arrested men, while Yonhap’s later headline and Korea Economic Daily’s headline referred to wooden sticks being carried. [ 2 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]
A police official told Yonhap that the men did not cooperate and tried to flee, which led to their arrest, but added there is also a possibility they were unilaterally victimized, so officers secured their identities and released them to receive treatment. Hankook Ilbo’s evening headline said the two foreigners were booked and that police were tracking those who fled, while other reports described them as arrested at the scene. [ 2 , 5 , 7 , 10 ]
Police estimate about 10 people took part, are questioning two other foreigners who were at the scene as witnesses, and are checking the identities and whereabouts of the remaining suspects, the reports said. Police said they will establish the motive and circumstances through interpretation because the suspects do not speak Korean well. Asia Economy reported police will use statements and scene video to determine how many people took part and how severe the assault was, then decide whether to file additional charges. [ 2 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
The accounts differ on the location: Yonhap described a street in Poseung-eup, while Kukmin Ilbo, Dong-A Ilbo, Asia Economy and the later Yonhap and Hankook Ilbo headlines referred to a park, including a residential-area park. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 8 , 10 ]
Why it matters
The case is still open: police say they are tracking those who fled and have not established what caused the fight, so questions about public order in the Pyeongtaek neighbourhood remain unanswered. Because the suspects do not speak Korean well, the motive and sequence of events will be reconstructed mainly through interpretation and scene video, which shapes how quickly the investigation can move. The documents offer no basis for significance beyond the local case.
Key facts
- Police received a 112 report at about 23:30 on Oct 3 that several foreigners were fighting in Poseung-eup, Pyeongtaek [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- Investigators estimate that about 10 people took part in the fight [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- A Russian national and a Kyrgyz national, both in their 20s, were arrested at the scene on suspicion of violating the Act on Punishment of Violent Acts [ 2 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- Video recorded by a volunteer patrol member showed people swinging bats at a crouched person and kicking a man before scattering as patrol members approached [ 2 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- Both arrested men were being treated at a hospital for injuries including fractures, according to Yonhap, Asia Economy and Maeil Business; Dong-A Ilbo reported the Russian national was injured and receiving treatment [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- Asia Economy reported that wooden sticks were found in a vehicle belonging to the arrested men, and Yonhap’s later headline and Korea Economic Daily’s headline also referred to wooden sticks [ 5 , 8 , 9 ]
- Police are tracing other suspects and questioning two other foreigners who were at the scene as witnesses [ 2 , 5 ]
- Police said they will confirm the motive and circumstances through interpretation because the suspects do not speak Korean well [ 2 , 5 , 7 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Police in Pyeongtaek received a 112 report at about 23:30 on Oct 3 that several foreigners were fighting in Poseung-eup [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- A fight involved about 10 foreigners; two people were arrested at the scene and police are tracing others who fled [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- The two arrested men are a Russian national and a Kyrgyz national, both in their 20s, held on suspicion of violating the Act on Punishment of Violent Acts [ 2 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- Video recorded by a volunteer patrol member showed people swinging bats at a crouched person and kicking a man before scattering as patrol members approached [ 2 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- Both arrested men were treated at a hospital for injuries including fractures [ 2 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- Police are questioning two other foreigners who were at the scene as witnesses [ 2 , 5 ]
- Police said the suspects do not speak Korean well and that the motive and circumstances would be confirmed through interpretation [ 2 , 5 , 7 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the fight happened on a street or at a park in Poseung-eup Yonhap described the scene as a street, while Kukmin Ilbo, Dong-A Ilbo, Asia Economy and the later Yonhap and Hankook Ilbo headlines referred to a park, including a residential-area park; the documents do not resolve the difference
- What caused the fight and the exact sequence of events Police said they would determine the motive and circumstances through interpretation because the suspects do not speak Korean well; no document gives a cause
- Whether the two arrested men were also victims A police official told Yonhap there is a possibility they were unilaterally victimized, but the documents do not settle this
- How many suspects remain at large and who they are Police estimate about 10 people were involved and say they are still tracing those who fled; no identities or numbers are given
- Whether wooden sticks were used in the fight or only found in the suspects’ vehicle Asia Economy reported wooden sticks were found in the vehicle of the arrested men, while Yonhap’s later headline and Korea Economic Daily’s headline said wooden sticks were wielded; only Asia Economy gives the vehicle detail
- Whether the two men were formally arrested or booked without detention Hankook Ilbo’s later headline said two foreigners were booked, while Yonhap, Asia Economy, Maeil Business and Hankook Ilbo’s earlier report said they were arrested at the scene; Yonhap and Hankook Ilbo also said they were released to receive hospital treatment
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Police receive a 112 report that several foreigners are fighting in Poseung-eup, Pyeongtaek (Oct 3) [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]
- Kukmin Ilbo headlines a late-night fight among foreigners at a residential-area park in Pyeongtaek (Oct 4) [ 1 ]
- Yonhap reports two arrests and that police are tracing other suspects (Oct 4) [ 2 ]
- Dong-A Ilbo reports the fight took place at a park, that two were arrested and that the Russian national is being treated (Oct 4) [ 4 ]
- Asia Economy reports wooden sticks were found in the arrested men’s vehicle and that police will decide on additional charges after reviewing evidence (Oct 4) [ 5 ]
- Yonhap’s comprehensive report refers to a residential-area park and to wooden sticks (Oct 4) [ 8 ]
- Hankook Ilbo reports that two foreigners were booked over the fight and that police are tracking foreigners who fled (Oct 4) [ 10 ]