Chinese high school students apprehended near an airbase in Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, for filming fighter jets reportedly told police that his father is a member of China’s public security bureau. Authorities are investigating the two students’ claim, amid a series of similar incidents involving Chinese nationals caught filming military sites in South Korea.
According to investigators on Apr. 8, two Chinese high school students were apprehended by police on Mar. 21 for filming military aircraft, including F-16 fighter jets, the South Korean Air Force’s 10th Fighter Wing in Suwon. Authorities have charged the individuals with violating the Military Bases and Installations Protection Act and placed them under a travel ban.
An official familiar with the investigation said nearly 100 photographs showing aircraft taking off and landing were recovered from the students’ devices, though no images appeared to capture the interior of the base. The two were apprehended after a local resident reported suspicious activity, prompting police to respond. They had been filming from farmland located several hundred meters from the Suwon airbase using a DSLR camera and smartphones. Police said no telephoto lens was used.
The pair was taken to the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency for questioning. During the investigation, the students reportedly stated that they were currently attending high school in China and had traveled to South Korea on special leave. “We’re here on break, and photographing aircraft is a personal hobby,” one of them was quoted as saying. One also reportedly told officers, “My father works for Chinese public security.”
Further inquiry revealed the students had entered South Korea on tourist visas on Mar. 18 and later visited Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, where they filmed U.S. Air Force F-35 stealth fighters. The F-35 is a strategic asset exported only to U.S. allies and is among the military platforms most closely monitored by Chinese authorities.
Authorities also discovered booking records for train tickets to Busan on the students’ mobile devices. Investigators suspect they may have intended to film a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier scheduled to dock there.
“Given that they began photographing strategic assets and key installations almost immediately after entering the country, their actions appear premeditated,” an investigative official said. Authorities are conducting digital forensic analysis on the students’ phones to determine whether national security laws may have been violated or if there are links to Chinese intelligence services.
A military analyst familiar with the case said, “We need to understand how high school students were able to identify military facility locations or obtain information about a U.S. aircraft carrier’s arrival schedule.”
This incident is one of at least five confirmed cases over the past year in which Chinese nationals were caught illegally filming or collecting information on critical South Korean military facilities. In June 2024, three Chinese exchange students were arrested for using a drone to film a U.S. aircraft carrier docked in Busan. The vessel was in port to participate in a trilateral military exercise involving South Korea, the United States, and Japan. The students were apprehended by a South Korean Army officer conducting a security patrol. Their five-minute drone footage reportedly included images of both the aircraft carrier and naval base structures. During questioning, the students said they had filmed the area “out of curiosity.”
In a separate incident in November, a Chinese national was detained after operating a drone near Heoninung, a royal tomb close to the headquarters of the National Intelligence Service in Seoul. In January, a Chinese tourist was apprehended for illegally flying a drone over Jeju International Airport, a facility designated as a “Grade A” national security site. On Mar. 29, another Chinese national was arrested for attempting to bribe a South Korean active-duty soldier to obtain details on joint South Korea–U.S. military exercises. Authorities reportedly obtained intelligence indicating the suspect’s handler may be affiliated with the Chinese military.
“There are likely more cases that have yet to be uncovered,” one official said.
Despite the frequency of these incidents, prosecuting them under espionage laws remains difficult. “Even when Chinese nationals engage in apparent intelligence activities, we cannot prosecute them for espionage under current law,” one investigative official explained. “In most cases, they are charged under the Military Bases and Installations Protection Act, which carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won ($20,000).”
Under current South Korean law, espionage is punishable only if committed on behalf of an “enemy state,” a term that applies exclusively to North Korea. Convictions carry penalties ranging from seven years in prison to life imprisonment or death. In 2023, both the ruling and opposition parties agreed to amend the statute by expanding the definition of “enemy” to include foreign states. However, the proposal failed to pass the National Assembly after the Democratic Party raised concerns about potential misuse.
