What caused the Pyeongtaek brawl involving foreign nationals?

Police believe it stemmed from a quarrel between groups of Kazakh and Kyrgyz nationals. They are also investigating whether tensions among foreign residents in the area escalated into the clash.

Who was arrested after the Pyeongtaek foreigner clash?

Police arrested two men in their 20s on the spot as they fled. They were identified as Russian and Kyrgyz nationals who had entered Korea on student and other visas.

How did police respond to the late-night fight in Pyeongtaek?

Police first responded to a report around 11:10 p.m. that several vehicles had gathered and a fight seemed imminent, but the crowd had dispersed by the time officers arrived. Roughly 30 minutes later, they issued a Code Zero after another report and later found a wooden stick and a baseball bat at the scene.

Foreigners armed with blunt weapons clash in Pyeongtaek, Central Asian groups suspected

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Summary

Police in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, believe a late-night brawl involving foreign nationals over the weekend was triggered by a feud between Central Asian groups. Police arrested two men in their 20s on the spot after a second report and said they were Russian and Kyrgyz nationals. Officers are pursuing others who fled and are investigating whether tensions among foreign residents in the area escalated into the clash.

Key Facts

Police received the first report at about 11:10 p.m. on Saturday, when several vehicles had gathered and a brawl appeared imminent.
About 30 minutes later, police issued a Code Zero, the highest dispatch level, after a second report of a gathering of foreign nationals.
The two men arrested at the scene were identified as Russian and Kyrgyz nationals who had entered Korea on student and other visas.
Both arrested men suffered injuries including fractures, and a wooden stick and a baseball bat were left at the scene.
Nearby CCTV footage suggested about 15 people took part, and police said they had yet to identify the suspects who fled.

By Park Ung

Published Oct 5, 2026 4:20 pm KST
Updated Oct 5, 2026 5:50 pm KST

Foreign nationals brawl in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Saturday. Yonhap

Police believe a late-night mass brawl involving foreign nationals in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, over the weekend stemmed from a feud between groups from Central Asian countries.

On Saturday, police responded to a report at about 11:10 p.m. that several vehicles had gathered and a brawl appeared imminent, but those involved had already dispersed by the time officers arrived.

About 30 minutes later, police issued a "Code Zero," the highest dispatch level, after a second report of a gathering of foreign nationals. Police arrested two men in their 20s on the spot as they fled.

The two arrested men were identified as Russian and Kyrgyz nationals. Police said they entered Korea on student and other visas. Both men suffered injuries including fractures, and a wooden stick and a baseball bat picked up nearby were left at the scene.

Police believe the incident stemmed from a quarrel between groups of Kazakh and Kyrgyz nationals. Authorities are pursuing those still at large. Nearby CCTV footage suggests about 15 people took part, police said.

Police have yet to identify the suspects who fled, including their nationalities and residency status. They do not believe the suspects belong to an organized crime group but are investigating whether tensions among foreign residents in the area escalated into a clash.

Dogok-ri, where the incident occurred, is near Pyeongtaek Port and is home to large communities of foreign workers and Koryoin, ethnic Koreans from former Soviet republics.

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