Seoul: Eight Chinese nationals were arrested Wednesday for attempting to enter South Korea illegally by boat off the country's west coast, officials said. The group was intercepted by the Coast Guard near the county of Taean, South Chungcheong Province.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the suspects, including a man in his 40s, allegedly departed from China's Shandong Province on a 7-meter-long, 3-meter-wide boat on Sunday. The Coast Guard intercepted them the following day as they tried to enter South Korean waters illegally.

The Coast Guard earlier sought arrest warrants on charges of violating the Immigration Control Act. These warrants were subsequently issued by the Seosan branch of Daejeon District Court on Wednesday. The authorities revealed that the suspects were motivated by the desire to find employment, and some had previously been deported for overstaying in South Korea.