Two Chinese men have been arrested in the South Korean city of Busan for using a drone to illegally film a naval base, including a visiting US aircraft carrier, amid fears of such incidents occurring more regularly and threatening national security.
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One of the men, in his 40s, was arrested on suspicion of undertaking an action “benefiting an enemy by other methods”, South Korean police said on Thursday.
It marked the first time that South Korea has arrested a foreigner on such a charge and follows a series of incidents of unauthorised surveillance at sensitive South Korean military and other sites involving Chinese nationals, with at least five such incidents reported since the start of last year.
“This is a serious national security violation, particularly in light of the growing number of incidents involving foreign nationals illegally filming key infrastructure and military facilities,” South Korean police said, according to a report by The Chosun Daily.
“We will continue to respond firmly and decisively to deter similar offences in the future.”
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The suspects, who are graduate exchange students at Busan University, allegedly flew a Chinese-made drone near the base of the Korean Fleet Command between March 2023 and June 2024 on nine occasions, Yonhap News Agency reported.