Two Chinese nationals have been indicted in South Korea for filming sensitive military locations, including a U.S. aircraft carrier, using drones.
Chinese Nationals Caught Filming Military Sites
This marks the first time foreign nationals have been charged under the country’s strict “general espionage” law. The suspects, both Chinese graduate students, are currently in custody.
The Busan District Prosecutors’ Office made the announcement on Friday. The two men — one in his 40s and the other in his 30s — are accused of violating both the Criminal Act and the Military Installation and Military Facilities Protection Act. These laws are meant to protect South Korea’s national security and military interests.
Authorities say the two entered South Korea in March 2023. Over the next year, until June 2024, they used drones to secretly capture images and videos of military bases. These included close-up footage of the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt while it was docked at the Busan Naval Base. The content was later uploaded to online platforms that can be accessed in China.
The act of “general espionage” under South Korean law applies to actions that may harm national defense or give military advantage to enemy states like North Korea. The crime carries a sentence of at least three years in prison and can go up to life imprisonment.
Drone Used to Capture U.S. Carrier and Fighter Jets
The military investigation revealed that the two men flew a Chinese-made drone near military bases on at least nine different occasions. These drone flights were not permitted, and the areas captured were restricted zones under South Korean law.
One of the key targets of the surveillance was the USS Theodore Roosevelt. The aircraft carrier is one of the U.S. Navy’s largest warships. It carries advanced systems and fighter jets such as the F/A-18. On June 25, 2023, the same day a major public event involving the ship took place, the suspects were caught by military personnel while taking photos near the ship.
In total, the two men recorded 172 photos and 22 videos. The footage took up around 11.9 gigabytes of data. This included clear views of weapons systems, launch pads, and military structures. According to police, the drone used in the act automatically uploaded footage to servers managed by the Chinese manufacturer. In addition, one of the suspects also used his mobile phone to take more pictures. These were later posted on Chinese social media sites.
Third Suspect Under Investigation, Spy Links Found
A third person, a Chinese woman in her 30s, is also being investigated. Authorities say she helped scout filming locations and drove the two men to the areas. She is not in custody at the moment but is under investigation for breaking military facility laws.
Police found signs that the case may be linked to Chinese authorities. They found contact details on one suspect’s phone. These contacts are believed to be linked to the Chinese police. The suspects said they did not mean any harm. They claimed they were only “interested in military facilities.” They also said they did not know they were breaking any laws.
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Initially, only the older man was charged with espionage. The younger man was first charged only for filming military facilities. But prosecutors later added the espionage charge against him too. This change came after a full review by South Korea’s military counterintelligence team. The agency concluded that both men’s actions seriously harmed the country’s military security.
South Korean officials are treating this as a serious threat to national defense. The fact that so much sensitive material was gathered and shared on foreign platforms has raised alarm within the military and intelligence community.
This case has drawn widespread attention, especially since it involves foreign nationals and high-level military surveillance. Investigations are still ongoing, and the legal process continues.
