Two More Involved After Suwon Incident
Police Launch Investigation Into Unauthorized Fighter Jet Photography at Osan
Following last month's incident in which Chinese nationals were caught illegally photographing fighter jets near an Air Force base in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, a similar case has occurred again, prompting a police investigation.
On April 21, the Security Investigation Division of the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency announced that it is considering whether to formally charge two Chinese nationals, including a person identified as A, on suspicion of violating the Protection of Military Bases and Military Installations Act. A and the other individual are suspected of taking unauthorized photographs near the Osan Air Base (K-55), a U.S. military facility in Pyeongtaek, at around 9 a.m. that day.
It was reported that they used cameras in their possession to photograph the base, fighter jets, and other objects. However, the specific types of facilities or equipment captured in the photos have not been disclosed.
The police are investigating the case in cooperation with the National Intelligence Service and the Defense Counterintelligence Command. So far, no evidence of espionage has been found.
Previously, on March 21, two Chinese teenagers were caught by police near Suwon Air Base, home to the 10th Fighter Wing, after they used a DSLR camera and a mobile phone to illegally photograph fighter jets during takeoff and landing. When police responded to a report from a local resident, they discovered numerous photos of flying fighter jets on the individuals' cameras and phones.
During the police investigation, it was also found that these individuals had visited the area near the U.S. Air Force's Osan Base in Pyeongtaek after entering the country. Their arrival coincided with the ongoing South Korea-U.S. joint exercise "Freedom Shield" (Freedom Shield·FS).
Authorities are investigating not only whether there are any indications of espionage in the current case, but also whether these individuals have entered the country in the past. In particular, the police have obtained testimony that the father of one of the individuals is a public security officer and are working to verify the facts.
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