Two 
men have been arrested for illegally filming a South Korean naval base in Busan as well as a visiting US aircraft carrier during 2023 - 2024. The main perp is being charged with general treason.
The two, both exchange students at a Busan university in their 30s and 40s respectively, are accused of flying a drone near the Korean Fleet Command in southern Busan multiple times between March 2023 and June 2024 to illegally film the inside of the naval base and the US Navy aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt.
The 40-something man was arrested on charges of general treason and violating the military base law — the first time a foreigner has been arrested on these charges, whereas the 30-something man was arrested for violating the military base law. Another student, a Chinese woman in her 30s, was booked without detention on the same charge.
The Busan District Court issued arrest warrants for the two men on June 25, citing risks of destruction of evidence and fleeing.
The suspects were caught by soldiers on patrol on a mountain near the Busan naval command on June 25 last year while they’re illegally filming US aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt, which was visiting South Korea as part of a Korea-US-Japan joint military exercise. Then-President Yoon Suk Yeol was also there at the base at that time.
Police have intensively investigated the students over the past year after imposing an exit ban on them. The suspects were found to have committed illegal filming nine times using a drone and their mobile phones. 172 photos and 22 videos — 11.9 GB of content — were uncovered.
Some of the videos and photos had been posted on TikTok and other Chinese social media. The content may also have been transmitted to the Chinese manufacturer of the drone used by the suspects.
One of the three students was found to be an active CCP member who received an “excellent Communist Party member” recognition at a Chinese university in May 2021.
The contact details of many public security officials and CCP newsletters were also found on their mobile phones.
m-en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN202506
biz.chosun.com/en/en-society/
koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2024-12-0
men have been arrested for illegally filming a South Korean naval base in Busan as well as a visiting US aircraft carrier during 2023 - 2024. The main perp is being charged with general treason.
The two, both exchange students at a Busan university in their 30s and 40s respectively, are accused of flying a drone near the Korean Fleet Command in southern Busan multiple times between March 2023 and June 2024 to illegally film the inside of the naval base and the US Navy aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt.
The 40-something man was arrested on charges of general treason and violating the military base law — the first time a foreigner has been arrested on these charges, whereas the 30-something man was arrested for violating the military base law. Another student, a Chinese woman in her 30s, was booked without detention on the same charge.
The Busan District Court issued arrest warrants for the two men on June 25, citing risks of destruction of evidence and fleeing.
The suspects were caught by soldiers on patrol on a mountain near the Busan naval command on June 25 last year while they’re illegally filming US aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt, which was visiting South Korea as part of a Korea-US-Japan joint military exercise. Then-President Yoon Suk Yeol was also there at the base at that time.
Police have intensively investigated the students over the past year after imposing an exit ban on them. The suspects were found to have committed illegal filming nine times using a drone and their mobile phones. 172 photos and 22 videos — 11.9 GB of content — were uncovered.
Some of the videos and photos had been posted on TikTok and other Chinese social media. The content may also have been transmitted to the Chinese manufacturer of the drone used by the suspects.
One of the three students was found to be an active CCP member who received an “excellent Communist Party member” recognition at a Chinese university in May 2021.
The contact details of many public security officials and CCP newsletters were also found on their mobile phones.
m-en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN202506
biz.chosun.com/en/en-society/
koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2024-12-0
Quote
Byron Wan
@Byron_Wan
Busan Metropolitan Police has arrested 3 international students for violating the Military Base & Military Facility Protection Act. They’re accused of shooting videos / pictures of US aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt, which was anchored in Busan, by flying a drone from a