2 foreigners flee to Brunei after vandalizing Busan subway

A Busan Metro Line 3 train damaged by graffiti is seen at a rail depot in Busan. Courtesy of Busan Transportation Corporation

Police said Friday they have identified and are pursuing two foreign nationals accused of vandalizing a subway train with graffiti at a rail depot in Busan before fleeing to another country.

The Busan Gangseo Police Station said the suspects are an Australian man in his 20s and a Belgian man in his 30s, facing charges of trespassing and property damage. They allegedly entered the depot in Gangseo District at around 2:51 a.m. on Tuesday and spray-painted a two-car subway train.

CCTV footage showed them scaling a fence before carrying out the graffiti attack. Officers said the painting itself took only about three minutes, although the two men remained inside the depot for roughly 18 minutes before leaving.

After the incident, the suspects boarded a KTX train bound for Seoul. Police believe they deliberately attempted to evade detection by wearing face masks, changing clothes multiple times, paying with cash and getting off at different locations. Investigators said the pair flew to Brunei the following day.

Police tracked their movements by reviewing CCTV footage before confirming through immigration records that they had departed for Brunei the next day. Authorities have asked Interpol to issue a Red Notice and plan to seek their extradition. They are also reviewing legal steps to recover repair costs and will request notification if either suspect reenters Korea.

Investigators are also examining whether the two men have been involved in similar graffiti incidents abroad and are speaking with members of Korea's graffiti community — including participants in a graffiti festival held in Gimcheon, North Gyeongsang Province— as part of their inquiries.