Two Chinese nationals indicted for espionage for filming military facilities, U.S. aircraft carrier

Two Chinese nationals have been indicted on charges of violating the National Security Act after allegedly filming and disseminating sensitive footage of military installations, including a U.S. aircraft carrier docked at the Busan Naval Base.

The USS Theodore Roosevelt is seen docked at the Busan Naval Base in Busan on June 26, 2024. [JOONGANG ILBO]

BUSAN — Two Chinese nationals have been indicted on charges of violating the National Security Act after allegedly filming and disseminating sensitive footage of military installations, including a U.S. aircraft carrier docked at the Busan Naval Base, using drones.

This marks the first time that foreign nationals have been indicted under the charge of "general espionage" for actions threatening military security.

The Busan District Prosecutors' Office announced on Friday that two Chinese graduate students — a man in his 40s and a man in his 30s — were indicted and remain in custody. Both face charges of violating the general espionage clause of the Criminal Act and the Military Installation and Military Facilities Protection Act.

Under South Korean law, "general espionage" refers to acts that harm the country's military interests or provide military advantage to an enemy state, notably North Korea, and carries a penalty of at least three years in prison or life imprisonment. This is the first time the charge has been applied to foreign nationals in a national security case.

Initially, only the first Chinese student was charged with espionage during the police investigation, while the man in his 30s was charged only with violating the law regarding military facilities.

However, prosecutors later added the espionage charge against the latter, citing the severity and duration of their offenses, as well as a conclusion by the military’s counterintelligence agency that their actions harmed South Korea’s military interests.

An airborne command aircraft is seen inside the hanger of the USS Theodore Roosevelt at the Busan Naval Base in Busan on June 22, 2024. [JOONGANG ILBO]

According to prosecutors, both men entered South Korea in March 2023 and, over more than a year until June 2024, used drones to film military bases and military assets, including the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, on at least nine occasions. They then uploaded the images and videos to online platforms accessible in China.

On June 25 last year, the day former President Yoon Suk Yeol visited the USS Theodore Roosevelt, the suspects were spotted photographing the ship from nearby and were apprehended by military personnel on patrol. The aircraft carrier was equipped with key assets, including F/A-18 fighter jets and launch systems.

In total, the suspects shot 172 photographs and 22 videos, amounting to 11.9 gigabytes of sensitive material.

The USS Theodore Roosevelt is seen docked at the Busan Naval Base in Busan on June 26, 2024. [JOONGANG ILBO]

The drone used was a Chinese-made model that automatically uploads data to the manufacturer’s server, according to police findings. The man in his 40s also reportedly used his phone to take additional photos, which were posted on Chinese social media.

The suspects claimed they were merely “interested in military facilities” and had no malicious intent, but authorities also found contact information believed to be linked to Chinese police on one of their phones.

Meanwhile, a third Chinese national, a woman in her 30s, who helped scout filming locations and drove the suspects to the locations, is being investigated without detention for violating the military facilities law.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff. BY LEE EUN-JI [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]