"Sent Drone to North Korea": Graduate Student in His 30s Previously Worked at Yoon's Presidential Office (Comprehensive)

Claims Purpose Was to Measure Contamination at North Korean Uranium Facility

A man in his 30s, who claimed responsibility for sending a drone to North Korea, was reportedly employed at the presidential office in Yongsan during the administration of former President Yoon Suk-yeol.

South Korean drone crashed in Jangpung County, Kaesong City, claimed by North Korea. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

On January 16, Channel A reported an interview with Mr. A, who claimed that he was the one who sent the South Korean drone disclosed by North Korea. Mr. A, described as an ordinary graduate student in his 30s, stated that he personally requested the interview.

Mr. A explained that he decided to give the interview after seeing the 'Military-Police Joint Investigation Task Force' summon his acquaintance, Mr. B, as a suspect for having manufactured the drone for him. He presented evidence, saying that the appearance, camouflage, and patterns of the drone released by North Korea matched the modifications and paintwork he had done. He also released footage taken by the drone.

He stated, "I flew the drone to measure radiation and heavy metal contamination at a uranium facility located in Pyongsan County, North Korea," claiming that he had flown drones three times since September. He added, "I did not film our military or anything of the sort. I believed it was acceptable because I had a motive," and said he would voluntarily appear before the police for questioning soon.

North Korea specified the drone's launch sites as Paju in Gyeonggi Province and the northern part of Ganghwa Island, but Mr. A denied this, asserting that he launched the drone near the sea off Ganghwa during early hours on a weekend when no one was around, and set the route to pass through Pyongsan. He said he had programmed it to return after four hours.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Mr. A was confirmed to have worked as a contract employee in the spokesperson's office at the presidential office during the Yoon Suk-yeol administration. He was not affiliated with any particular organization.

A police official stated, "There is nothing we can confirm at this time regarding the interview content," adding, "We are investigating all possible scenarios."

Earlier that day, the National Police Agency announced in a press release, "The Military-Police Joint Investigation Task Force has requested the appearance of one civilian suspect and is conducting an investigation into the matter."