A group of individuals has been arrested by police for plotting and executing a retaliatory assault against a female coworker.

The Gyeonggi Bukbu Provincial Police Agency's Metropolitan Investigation Unit announced that a total of seven suspects have been taken into custody on charges including injury. They include a man in his 30s identified as A, who ordered the assault; a man in his 20s identified as B, who searched for ways to carry out the contract assault at A's direction; an intermediary; and men who actually participated in the physical attack for money.

A had been experiencing severe friction over work-related issues with his aunt, a woman in her 60s identified as C, who worked at the same company.

Determined to harm his aunt C, A instructed his acquaintance B earlier this year, saying, "I will give you money, so find people to beat up my aunt."

B contacted D, a former coworker who acted as an intermediary in this case, and D used messaging apps to recruit four individuals, including younger neighborhood acquaintances.

Investigations revealed that they agreed to receive 80 million won in exchange for the assault and carried out the crime.

They divided roles such as planning, directing, lookout, and executing the assault before launching the crime, minimizing evidence by using social media to give orders and report back.

Messenger conversations secured by police contained specific instructions on how to carry out the assault, such as "hospitalization size for about two to three months" and "hit her face and then hit other places too."

Eventually, in June this year in Uijeongbu, two men approached C as she was heading home, and while one acted as a lookout, the other assaulted C.

C suffered severe facial injuries.

However, the police investigation began after the assault perpetrators were caught and circumstances pointing to a retaliatory attack were uncovered.

As the police investigation closed in, A and others even instructed people to make false statements to the police to sever ties and avoid higher-level masterminds, offering 10 million won in return.

Police stated, "In the event of such private revenge proxy cases, we will continue to conduct prompt investigations and maintain a principle of investigating all participants with detentions."

Reported by Jung Da-eun | Video by Lee Da-in | Graphics by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News