Six foreign nationals apprehended for alleged assault

A screen capture from video footage showing six foreign nationals attacking two other foreigners in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, Feb. 8, was widely shared on the internet. Yonhap

By Lee Hyo-jin

Six foreign nationals have been apprehended for allegedly attacking two other foreigners in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, according to police, Sunday.

Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency announced that the six suspects from Uzbekistan and Russia are currently being held for alleged assault against two foreign residents, one from Russia and the other from Ukraine.

The crime took place at around 4:50 p.m., Feb. 8, in a two-lane road in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. The suspects stopped the victim's car on the road and began to damage the vehicle with a blunt weapon, and pulled the driver and passenger out of the automobile.

They beat and kicked the victims in the head and stomach multiple times before fleeing the scene. The victims were left with several injuries, including fractured bones and bruises. But none of them were critically injured, according to police.

The brutal attack was filmed through a dashboard camera installed in a car nearby and the footage was widely shared on the internet, sparking public outrage.

Police immediately launched an investigation following a report filed by witnesses at the scene and tracked the suspects down at their residence in Incheon, Friday.

During the investigation, the suspects stated that it was an act of retaliation after they were punished for beating the victim in the past, according to Yonhap.

“Among the six suspects, we have requested arrest warrants for the five who were directly engaged in the assault. We will look into the case further,” said an officer from the police agency.