Two Chinese students arrested for filming U.S. carrier at Korean naval base

Caught filming on day then-President Yoon boarded U.S. carrier; Police call it a grave national security breach

The U.S. Navy nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71, 100,000 tons) docked at the Busan Naval Base in Nam-gu, Busan, in June last year for joint exercises. /Kim Dong-hwan

Two Chinese international students have been arrested for illegally flying a drone near the Korean Fleet Command in southern Busan and photographing a U.S. aircraft carrier—an act authorities say constitutes a serious breach of national security. One of the suspects has been charged with “providing benefit to an enemy state under Article 98 of the Criminal Act,” a rarely applied charge against a foreign national.

Busan Metropolitan Police Agency announced on June 26 that two Chinese nationals—identified only as A and B—had been taken into custody. A was charged with providing benefit to an enemy state under Article 98 of the Criminal Act, as well as violating the Military Bases and Installations Protection Act. B was charged only with the latter. A third individual was booked without detention.

The suspects are accused of flying drones near the Naval Operations Command (NOC) in Busan’s Nam-gu district, on nine separate occasions between March 2023 and June 2024. They allegedly captured unauthorized images of restricted military sites, including the base interior and the USS Theodore Roosevelt—a 100,000-ton U.S. aircraft carrier that had docked for trilateral military exercises involving South Korea, the United States, and Japan.

The Roosevelt had entered port to take part in the inaugural “Freedom Edge,” a trilateral multi-domain exercise. On the final day of the drone activity, June 25, 2024, then-President Yoon Suk-yeol boarded the carrier to inspect the ship and meet with U.S. and South Korean troops. During that visit, the drone flight was detected by patrolling soldiers, leading to the suspects’ discovery.

When questioned, the students told police they were “walking by and flew the drone out of curiosity.” However, an investigation of their mobile phones uncovered photos of various military installations in Busan dating back to March 2023. Police found a total of 172 photos and 22 videos taken over the course of nine separate drone flights.

The suspects, both in their 30s and 40s, were graduate students at a national university in Busan. Some had previously studied in South Korea, returned to China for work, and later came back.

Authorities said the suspects shared some of the material online, including through social media platforms, potentially exposing the images to overseas audiences. Given the frequency and nature of the offenses, investigators believe the actions posed a significant threat to South Korea’s national security.

The lead suspect A was charged with providing benefit to an enemy state under Article 98 of the Criminal Act, a charge reserved for acts that harm the country’s military interests. The offense carries a minimum sentence of three years in prison, with a maximum of life imprisonment.

“This is a serious national security violation, particularly in light of the growing number of incidents involving foreign nationals illegally filming key infrastructure and military facilities,” a police official said. “We will continue to respond firmly and decisively to deter similar offenses in the future.”

Police said the investigation is ongoing in close coordination with the prosecution, the National Intelligence Service, and military counterintelligence authorities.