A man in his 30s who fled after assaulting a pub employee with an iron pipe nine years ago has been apprehended by police with about six months left before the statute of limitations expired.

The Gwangju Seobu Police Station announced that it had apprehended and is currently investigating a man in his 30s, identified as A, on charges of special assault yesterday (October 12).

A is accused of causing a disturbance while assaulting his girlfriend at a pub in Chipyeong-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju, in March 2017, and striking an employee who tried to intervene with an iron pipe.

Having been caught red-handed at the time, A fled without attending the warrant review after police requested an arrest warrant, continuing a life on the run as a wanted fugitive for an extended period.

A's evasion came to an end when police officers, dispatched yesterday afternoon following a report by his wife of domestic violence in Nam-gu, Gwangju, checked his personal information.

The statute of limitations for A's special assault charge was set to last until March of next year, leaving about six months remaining, while the obstruction of business charge initially applied alongside it was excluded from punishment as its 7-year statute of limitations had already expired.

Police are investigating the exact circumstances of the incident involving A while reviewing how to handle his custody.

(Photo provided by Yonhap News TV, Yonhap News)