The military-police joint investigation task force (TF) probing North Korea's claim of a "South Korean drone infiltration" launched a compulsory investigation into three civilian suspects on January 21.
South Korean drone crashed in Jangpung County, Kaesong City, claimed by North Korea. Photo by Yonhap News Agency
The joint investigation TF announced to the media that "starting around 8 a.m. today, we are executing search and seizure warrants at the residences and offices of three civilian suspects on charges of violating the Aviation Safety Act, among others," adding, "We plan to keep all possibilities open and conduct a thorough investigation through analysis of the seized items and questioning of the suspects."
Park Sunwon, a Democratic Party lawmaker and former National Intelligence Service official, appeared on YTN Radio the previous day and stated, "The internet media company is definitely a front company for military operations," pointing out that Mr. Oh established a drone manufacturing company in September 2023, which coincided with the establishment of the military drone operations command.
It has been confirmed that Mr. Oh, currently a graduate student, and Mr. Jang, who manufactured the drone, both previously worked as contract employees at the Yongsan presidential office during the administration of former President Yoon Suk-yeol.
Mr. Oh and Mr. Jang, who attended the same private university in Seoul as upper and lower classmates, served as CEO and director, respectively, at a drone manufacturing startup they founded in 2024 with support from their university. In 2020, they also organized and participated in a youth group related to unification.
On January 16, Mr. Oh revealed in a broadcast interview that he was the person who sent the drone to North Korea.
Previously, a spokesperson for the General Staff of the Korean People's Army claimed in a statement on January 10 that they had shot down South Korean drones that infiltrated in September last year and on January 4. The Ministry of National Defense responded that the South Korean military did not possess the relevant drones and stated that it would thoroughly investigate the possibility that they were civilian drones.
President Lee Jaemyung stated, "If (the infiltration of a civilian drone) is true, it is a serious crime that threatens peace on the Korean Peninsula and national security," and ordered the military-police joint investigation team to conduct a swift and rigorous investigation.
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