South Korean Police Set to Charge Three Chinese Nationals Over Jeju Casino ‘Riot’

South Korean police have asked a court to issue three arrest warrants after a “riot” broke out at a large, unnamed casino in the island province of Jeju.

The South Korean broadcaster KBS reported that police think the trio “orchestrated a riot involving about 50 Chinese nationals” at the casino in downtown Jeju City.

The incident broke out after bettors in the casino, which only admits foreign passport holders, claimed a dealer had “rigged” a card game.

50 Involved in ‘Casino Riot,’ Say Police

A spokesperson from the Jeju West Police Station stated that the incident occurred at approximately 5:30 p.m. on September 24.

Approximately 50 guests were involved in a fracas following the card game. A casino patron reportedly raised objections after a dealer appeared to make a mistake while handing out cards.

Although the circumstances are still unclear, reports suggested cards belonging to another deck may have been dealt during the game.

This led to loud complaints that the game had been rigged. Police said that a Chinese man in his 50s intervened when he witnessed the dispute. This led to more accusations, with security officers rushing to the scene soon after.

The situation quickly descended into violence, with a 20-minute “riot” breaking out. The violence only came to a halt when around 100 police officers arrived at the casino.

Police: 100 Officers Dispatched to Jeju Casino

One of the people involved reportedly told the police that he had “intervened after seeing a security guard restraining a Chinese national.” He “believed his fellow country-people were being oppressed,” and decided to come to their aid, police said.

Another witness said they felt there was “something fake or deceptive” about the card game in question.

Police said they had identified the trio using CCTV footage. They claimed that they had evidence suggesting they had assaulted security guards.

Jeju West Police asked a branch of the district court to arrest the trio on charges of obstruction of business and aggravated assault. Officers said they were still examining video footage and could seek to make further arrests in the days ahead.

They claimed that a “mob mentality” resulted in the rapid escalation from a minor dispute into a violent “riot.”

The broadcaster said that “concerns about public safety” were now growing amid “a recent spate of crimes committed by foreigners, particularly at casinos in Jeju.”

Police Crackdown Continues

Earlier this year, police arrested several Chinese nationals on suspicion of murder after another Chinese citizen was found stabbed to death in a Jeju hotel-casino.

Prosecutors think the killing occurred during an illegal, in-person peer-to-peer crypto trade. Buying and selling crypto assets is a criminal offense in Mainland China.

Police launched a 100-day special police operation earlier this year to “prevent crimes committed by foreigners.”

Officers said they would seek to extend this by “continuing to crack down on disorderly conduct by foreign nationals” in October.

The vast majority of South Korean casinos cater exclusively to foreign passport-holders. And the overwhelming majority of these casinos’ patrons come from Mainland China.

Casinos across the country are expecting visitor numbers to rise in the months ahead after the government announced a temporary waiver for Chinese tourist visa fees.