Arrest Warrant for Drone Commander Kim Yongdae Dismissed: "Difficult to Recognize Appropriateness"

Court: "Suspect Largely Acknowledges the Facts and Basic Evidence Has Been Collected"

The arrest warrant requested by Special Prosecutor Cho Eunseok's team for Kim Yongdae, Commander of the Drone Operations Command, who carried out the 'Pyongyang UAV infiltration operation,' was dismissed on the 21st.

On this day, Nam Sejin, the judge in charge of warrants at the Seoul Central District Court, rejected the arrest warrant requested by the special prosecutor after conducting a pre-arrest interrogation (warrant review) of Commander Kim.

Kim Yongdae, Commander of the Drone Operations Command, is reading a prepared statement as he appears for questioning at the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, where the Special Investigation Office for Internal Affairs has been established on the 17th. Photo by Yonhap News

Judge Nam explained, "Considering that arrest excessively restricts the suspect's right to defense, it is difficult to recognize the necessity and appropriateness of detention." He also stated, "The suspect largely acknowledges the facts, basic evidence has been collected, and factors such as the suspect's attendance and attitude during the investigation process, career, residence, and family relationships were also taken into account."

Commander Kim is accused of creating false documents (including charges of forging and using false official documents) to conceal the fact that a UAV was sent to Pyongyang, North Korea in October of last year. According to the 'Reconnaissance Drone Company Proficiency Flight Training' document from the Drone Operations Command, which was obtained and disclosed by Democratic Party lawmaker Boo Seungchan, the command recorded that on October 15, 2024, two of our military's UAVs (No. 74 and No. 75) were flown.

However, in reality, only UAV No. 75 was flown, and internal testimony revealed that there was a superior's order to "write in the report that No. 74 disappeared for unknown reasons while flying normally," even though it did not actually fly.

The special investigation team, which is recently intensifying its investigation into foreign exchange allegations, believes that Commander Kim, in collusion with former President Yoon Sukyeol and former Defense Minister Kim Yonghyun, flew UAVs over Pyongyang in October and November of last year, causing military tensions and undermining military interests by having a UAV crash in Pyongyang.

The special prosecutor's team considers Commander Kim to be a 'key man' in uncovering former President Yoon's foreign exchange allegations, and is expected to closely review the reasons for the dismissal of the arrest warrant before deciding whether to reapply for a warrant.