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Two rival gangs in Busan face prosecution after violent retaliatory attacks

Published: 10 Nov. 2025, 15:51

A confrontation unfolds on a road in Haeundae District, Busan in August. [BUSAN METROPOLITAN POLICE]

Since November of last year, two rival gangs in Busan have carried out retaliatory attacks against each other. Now, they've been referred to prosecutors, police said Monday.

Authorities from the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency referred 20 suspects — 19 members accused of leading the attacks and one accomplice — in detention, plus 26 additional members without detention. Among 26 of those referred to the prosecution without detention, two fled overseas and are now the subject of Interpol red notices.

Of the 45 gang members sent to prosecution, 13 belong to Chilsung-pa, or Seven Star Mob, and 32 to the New 20th Century-pa. The suspects are accused of repeated acts of retaliatory assault carried out from November 2024 through August this year.

The violence began on Nov. 7, 2024, when members of Chilsung-pa attacked a New 20th Century-pa member at a karaoke bar in Busan.

The attackers demanded the victim leave the gang and beat them severely, leaving them with a brain hemorrhage and injuries requiring four weeks of treatment. The victim had reportedly defected from Chilsung-pa to join the rival group.

In retaliation, New 20th Century-pa members launched three attacks between Nov. 29 and Feb. 19 this year. They brandished weapons at Chilsung-pa members and carried out a mass beating that resulted in one victim suffering injuries requiring eight weeks of recovery.

The violence escalated again on April 6, when a Chilsung-pa member in his 20s waited for four hours outside the apartment of a mid-level New 20th Century-pa leader and stabbed them.

A police logo [YONHAP]

That incident prompted immediate retaliation. The New 20th Century-pa mobilized 17 members, had them carry weapons and split them across multiple vehicles to hunt down Chilsung-pa members. One Chilsung-pa victim suffered fractures that required six weeks of recovery. Another was stabbed in the face and body with a broken soju bottle, causing nerve damage.

All of the assaults took place in busy commercial areas, including Marine City in Haeundae District, Seomyeon in Busanjin District and Jungang-dong in Jung District.

Police said they added the newly identified gang members to their monitoring list. There are currently 19 organized crime groups under police surveillance in Busan.

“We uncovered evidence that some of the attacks were ordered or coordinated by members who were already imprisoned,” a police official said. “We will take firm action not only against those who commit organized gang crimes that undermine public safety and disrupt daily life, but also against those who plan or direct such acts.”

Chilsung-pa and New 20th Century-pa have been competing for territory in Busan’s nightlife sectors since the 1970s. In 1993, a Chilsung-pa leader orchestrated the murder of a New 20th Century-pa member — an incident that inspired the film “Friend” (2001).

Although both gangs have weakened over the years, clashes have continued. In 2006, 60 members from both sides were involved in a mass brawl, and in May 2021, they clashed again at a funeral home in Busan.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY HYEON YE-SEUL [[email protected]]