A restaurant in South Korea named after Chinese leader Xi Jinping has been vandalised by a group of Chinese nationals who fled home right after the attack, police say.
Surveillance footage from the restaurant in Seongnam, a city south of Seoul, shows four masked men storming the premises early on Sept. 24, smashing furniture and spraying lacquer.
The restaurant’s owner told local media he chose the name Xi Jinping to make it the best Chinese restaurant in South Korea, adding that there was no political intent.
The eatery has opened for eight years, but demands for a name change have mounted over the past year after Xi lifted off to the Asia‑Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, according to The Chosun Daily.
Police now suspect the four attackers, aged 20‑40, crossed into China, reportedly traveling to Shanghai and Yantai, and are preparing to issue Interpol red notices, a request for global police to detain them pending extradition.
The incident caused about 15 million won ($11,100) in damage; the restaurant was closed for five days and is now considering a new name.
Xi Jinping restaurant serves a range of Chinese dishes with some Korean offerings, and has an average rating of four stars on Google Reviews.
