Restaurant named after Xi Jinping attacked by Chinese nationals in South Korea

What the report says

A restaurant in Seongnam, south of Seoul, that is named after Chinese leader Xi Jinping has been vandalised by four masked men, according to BBC World News. Police in South Korea said the suspects were Chinese nationals who allegedly fled the country shortly after the early-morning attack on 24 September.

Surveillance footage described by the BBC shows the group entering the premises, damaging furniture and spraying lacquer. The restaurant owner told local media that he chose the name because he wanted to run what he described as the best Chinese restaurant in South Korea, and said there was no political motive behind it. He also said the business had been facing pressure over its name for about a year.

The BBC reported that complaints intensified after news in August last year that Xi would attend an Asia-Pacific summit in South Korea. The owner said people contacted him repeatedly and even offered money to change the name. A separate complaint filed this year about a menu item called Xi Jinping Special Rice was later closed by South Korean authorities, who found no issue.

The restaurant was closed for five days after the attack and has since reopened. Police said they plan to seek Interpol red notices for the four suspects. The case has drawn attention because it involves a politically sensitive name in a commercial setting and raises questions about cross-border policing and possible motives, though the BBC said those motives have not been established.