Four Chinese nationals vandalize South Korean restaurant named after Xi Jinping

A Chinese restaurant in Seongnam, South Korea, named after Chinese President Xi Jinping, was attacked and vandalized by four Chinese nationals in the early hours of 24 September, according to local police. Surveillance footage shows four masked men breaking furniture, spraying lacquer, and covering the restaurant's sign with black paint. Police found empty pesticide and insecticide containers at the scene and requested forensic analysis from the National Forensic Service, concerned that poison may have been sprayed on food ingredients.

The restaurant's owner, who opened the establishment eight years ago, told local media he chose the name Xi Jinping because he "wanted it to be the best Chinese restaurant [in South Korea]" and denied any political intent. However, he acknowledged receiving numerous requests to change the name over the past year, with pressure intensifying in August when news broke that Xi would attend the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation Summit in South Korea. The owner said some people claiming to run businesses in China offered large sums of money if he changed the name. In April, someone filed a complaint with South Korea's Ministry of Intellectual Property regarding a menu item called Xi Jinping Special Rice, though the ministry closed the case finding no issues.

The four suspects, identified as Chinese men aged 20 to 40, fled South Korea the same day of the attack through Incheon International Airport to destinations including Shanghai and Yantai in Shandong province. Police determined the suspects had entered Korea without visas on two separate occasions—about one month and one week before the attack—and believe they planned the assault knowing the restaurant would be closed during the Chuseok holiday. The estimated property damage was approximately 15 million won ($11,100; £8,400). The restaurant closed for five days and reopened on 29 September; the owner's team is now considering renaming the establishment.

Police plan to request red notices from Interpol for the four men. These requests are not arrest warrants but rather international calls for police to detain individuals pending extradition. Investigators are examining whether the suspects specifically targeted the restaurant because of its name, though determining the exact motive may take considerable time as the suspects have dispersed across different parts of China.