South Korean man detained for sending drones to North Korea
A South Korean graduate student was arrested on Thursday (26 Feb) for flying drones to North Korea.
Seoul Central District Court issued the arrest warrant over concerns that the suspect might destroy evidence or flee justice, the Korea Herald reports.
Denied harming country’s military interests
The man surnamed Oh is facing multiple charges, including benefiting the enemy, violating aviation safety, and breaching military installation laws.
The 30-year-old allegedly sent drones to North Korea four times between Sept 2025 and Jan 2026.
The incident gained widespread attention after Pyongyang accused South Korea of violating its sovereignty by sending drones over its territory.
Source: Yonhap
Oh denied being directed by anyone to send the drones during his court hearing. He also denied links to military intelligence.
Initially, he claimed that the drones were intended to monitor radiation levels at a North Korean uranium facility.
However, Oh later shifted his stance, saying the data collected was for research or business purposes, according to The Korea Times.
Seven people involved in drone operations
A joint investigation by the military and police concluded that Oh was testing the drones’ performance, as part of his drone business.
The drones were launched from Ganghwa Island in Incheon and flew over North Korea’s Kaesong and Pyeongsan-gun areas before returning to Paju, northwest of Seoul.
Source: Burak The Weekender on Pexels via Canva
The task force has been investigating six other individuals in connection with the drone operations, including several military and spy agency officials.
President Lee Jae-myung had previously ordered a strict joint investigation by the military and police after concerns were raised about a civilian’s involvement in the drone operations.
The Unification Ministry also announced measures to prevent similar incidents from recurring, which received
The plan also received praise from Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Also read: North Korea flies balloons with excrement into South Korea as ‘gifts of sincerity’
North Korea flies balloons with excrement into South Korea as ‘gifts of sincerity’
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Featured image adapted from Yonhap and Burak The Weekender on Pexels via Canva.
