Police Decide to Request Warrants
on Charges of Violating the Military Base Protection Act
Despite restrictions imposed by the US military, Taiwanese nationals were detained after entering the airshow venue held inside a US Air Force base in Korea and illegally photographing fighter jets.
According to Yonhap News, on May 13, the Pyeongtaek branch of the Suwon District Court issued arrest warrants for two Taiwanese nationals in their 60s and 40s, who are suspected of violating the Act on the Protection of Military Bases and Installations. The court explained the reason for issuing the warrants, stating, "The criminal charges have been substantiated, and as foreigners, there is a risk of flight."
On the 11th, an A-10 attack aircraft performed a demonstration flight at the Osan Air Power Day 2025 held at the US Air Force Osan Base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. Photo by Yonhap News
Mr. A and others are suspected of illegally photographing US military facilities and equipment at the "2025 Osan Airshow" held at the Osan Air Base of the United States Air Force Korea around 9 a.m. on May 10. While photography is generally permitted at the airshow, the US military banned entry for individuals of certain nationalities, including China and Taiwan, at this event. Entering a military facility without authorization constitutes a violation of the Act on the Protection of Military Bases and Installations and is subject to criminal penalties.
According to police, the US military restricted access to the event for Chinese and Taiwanese nationals on the day of the airshow, but Mr. A and others are reported to have entered the venue covertly, defying these restrictions. In particular, they allegedly entered the venue by blending in with Korean attendees after being denied entry by US military personnel three times. The airshow venue had separate entrances for Korean nationals and foreigners, but Mr. A and others used the entrance for Korean nationals, which had comparatively less stringent procedures.
On the 9th, at the Osan Air Base of the United States Air Force Korea in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, an F-16 fighter jet flew past next to the Black Eagles aircraft during the "Osan Air Power Day 2025." Photo by Yonhap News.
Police responded to a report that "suspicious individuals were taking photos" and apprehended the suspects on May 11. According to the investigation, the two Taiwanese nationals entered Korea on tourist visas on May 8 and 9, respectively, and took hundreds of photos of military aircraft and aviation facilities with their cameras. They were scheduled to depart Korea between May 11 and 12. During police questioning, Mr. A and others reportedly stated, "We do not know each other."
The police plan to analyze the photographs taken by the suspects and conduct digital forensics on their mobile phones as part of a detailed investigation into the incident.
Previously, two Chinese nationals, including a teenager identified as Mr. A, were criminally charged and banned from leaving the country for violating the Act on the Protection of Military Bases and Installations. On March 18, they entered Korea through Incheon International Airport on tourist visas and, while carrying walkie-talkies, used two DSLR cameras equipped with telephoto lenses and mobile phones to take thousands of unauthorized photographs of military facilities and air traffic control installations at US and Korean military bases and major international airports, including fighter jets during takeoff and landing.
They were found to have visited four US and Korean military facilities?Suwon Air Base, Osan Air Base (K-55) in Pyeongtaek, the US military base in Pyeongtaek (K-6), and Cheongju Air Base?as well as three major international airports: Incheon, Gimpo, and Jeju.
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