Police investigate alleged abduction of Vietnamese student by five suspects in Cheongju
Published: 08 Apr. 2026, 14:05
Updated: 08 Apr. 2026, 17:20
![The emblem of the National Police Agency [NEWS1]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/04/08/0c1f95c0-989c-4473-bd29-2deb4b425194.jpg)
The emblem of the National Police Agency [NEWS1]
Police are investigating a group of five Vietnamese nationals for allegedly kidnapping and confining another Vietnamese student in Cheongju, North Chungcheong.
The five suspects assaulted the victim near an elementary school in Sangdang District, Cheongju, on Monday, forcing the person into a vehicle and moving locations to Daegu, where they confined the victim in an apartment, police said.
Footage released by SBS showed a black vehicle entering a narrow alley, followed by several men getting out. The men then grabbed a person wearing a red top and dragged him toward the vehicle. The victim resisted and struggled but was eventually overpowered and forced into the vehicle.
The investigation was launched after receiving a text message report stating that “several men had taken the victim through a vehicle,” police said.
The person who reported the incident was also a Vietnamese national who had been with the victim at the time of the abduction. The person is believed to have contacted police about one hour after the incident, having initially panicked due to limited Korean language ability.
Police also confirmed through CCTV footage near the scene that five men attempted the crime using a vehicle.
After identifying the vehicle and tracking its movements, police arrested two Vietnamese nationals living in the apartment where the victim had been confined, viewing them as accomplices.
The victim, who had already been released, was later located and taken into police protection. The victim was reportedly assaulted but did not sustain serious injuries.
The suspects are believed to have lured the victim by posting on social media that they would offer a commission in exchange for converting Vietnamese currency into Korean won.
Police believe all suspects are in their 20s and are tracking down the remaining accomplices while investigating the exact circumstances of the case.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JANG GU-SEUL [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
To write comments, please log in to one of the accounts.
Standards Board Policy (0/250자)