Foreign martial artists disappear from Cheongju competition

Nine foreign athletes have disappeared from a martial arts competition in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province. / Yonhap

By Lee Jin-a

Nine foreign athletes are allegedly on the run in Korea after disappearing from an international martial arts competition in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province.

According to police and the organizing committee of the 2016 Cheongju World Martial Arts Masterships, the athletes -- four Tajikistanis, three Sri Lankans and two Uzbeks -- are missing.

Three Tajikistani belt wrestlers disappeared after they landed at Incheon International Airport at 11:30 a.m. Saturday. Another Tajikistani disappeared after he arrived at his lodgings in Daejeon about 12:30 a.m. Sunday.

Three Sri Lankan jujitsu competitors, who were staying at a lodge in Cheongju, disappeared at 11 a.m. on Saturday, leaving their belongings, passports and flight tickets.

Four Uzbek participants left their accommodation at 6 p.m. Saturday without notifying the committee. On Sunday, the athletes told the committee they would return but only two came back as of Tuesday morning.

Police are looking for the athletes, believing they are on the run to stay in the country illegally.

The Cheongju World Martial Arts Masterships -- from Sept. 2 to 8 -- is an international competition featuring 1,479 competitors from 87 countries. The games include taekwondo, kendo, judo, jujutsu and Muay Thai.