Kazakhstani citizen detained in South Korea after incident caught on dashcam

Tengrinews.kz — A 21-year-old Kazakh citizen has been arrested in South Korea in connection with an assault case in the city of Icheon. Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it is providing him with consular and legal assistance.
What is known about the incident
According to South Korean outlet KBS News, the incident occurred at around 11:40 p.m. on July 29 in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province. Investigators allege that the 21-year-old Kazakh citizen, together with a 25-year-old acquaintance who is also a citizen of Kazakhstan, pursued a car driven by a man in his 30s. They allegedly blocked the vehicle and threatened the driver, including by kicking the front of the car.
The incident was captured on a dashcam. The footage shows the suspects’ car chasing the man’s vehicle and blocking its path. Two men then get out and approach the victim’s car.
According to the report, police detained the 21-year-old Kazakh citizen on October 16 at an apartment building in the city of Anseong, also in Gyeonggi Province. A court issued an arrest warrant, citing a risk that he might flee. The arrest came 79 days after the incident.
What the suspect said
During questioning, the Kazakh citizen said a car purchase deal had fallen through that day. According to him, while on his way back, he mistook the victim’s vehicle for the car belonging to the person with whom he had intended to make the deal and began following it.
Police were initially unable to identify the suspects, and the case was classified as unsolved in mid-September. However, after the dashcam footage spread online and the initial investigation came under criticism, law enforcement resumed their efforts.
Investigators reconstructed part of the vehicle’s license plate visible in the dashcam footage and matched it with the car model. They then examined online car sale listings and contact information posted on social media, which allowed them to identify the suspect.
The second alleged participant, a 25-year-old Kazakh citizen, was identified in connection with another case as having been staying in South Korea illegally. According to South Korean media, he was forcibly deported from the country in early October.
What Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry said
Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that it was aware of the detention of a Kazakh citizen by police in Icheon.

“He is accused of a number of offenses, including damage to another person’s property, violation of immigration rules and breaches of vehicle operation regulations,” the ministry said.

The Foreign Ministry added that Kazakh diplomats are providing the detainee with consular and legal assistance and are keeping the matter under review.
Earlier, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement reported the detention of a man it described as being from Kazakhstan and as a “known or suspected terrorist suspect.” The U.S. agency did not disclose further details, while Kazakhstan’s Foreign Ministry said it was verifying the information.