A group of Chinese nationals were caught while attempting to smuggle themselves into South Korea on the west coast.

The police in cooperation with the Navy rounded up the 26 Chinese at a port in Taean, South Chungcheong Province on Friday night while they were trying to land on the coast from a 300-ton boat.

The police also took into custody five sailors from a Chinese cargo boat who tried to flee after transporting the passengers to the coast and other accomplices who were waiting to pick them up with cars.