Chinese teens caught filming Air Force jets without authorization

Two Chinese high school students, including one identified as “Student A,” were recently caught illegally filming South Korean fighter jets near the 10th Fighter Wing in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province. Authorities later discovered they had also recorded footage near Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, raising suspicions they may have been gathering intelligence on Korea–U.S. joint air operations. Investigators confirmed that Student A’s parents work for China’s Public Security Bureau, further intensifying concerns of possible espionage.

According to national security officials on April 8, the students entered South Korea on tourist visas on March 18 and filmed U.S. military assets near Osan Air Base shortly after arriving. On March 21, they moved to the vicinity of the 10th Fighter Wing, where they were apprehended by police after local residents reported them recording aircraft taking off and landing. The students used both a smartphone and a DSLR camera.

The police have formally booked the students on charges of violating the Military Base and Military Facilities Protection Act and have imposed a travel ban. Authorities are also investigating the possibility of espionage, casting doubt on the students’ claim that they were simply pursuing a hobby of “filming airplanes.”

This case follows a string of incidents involving suspected espionage by Chinese nationals. On March 29, a key operative from a Chinese intelligence-linked group was arrested for allegedly recruiting a South Korean active-duty soldier to leak classified military documents, including plans for Korea–U.S. joint exercises. In another case from November 2024, a Chinese national was caught flying a drone near the headquarters of the National Intelligence Service (NIS). He claimed to be filming UNESCO World Heritage sites, but authorities questioned the legitimacy of his explanation.


Kyu-Jin Shin newjin@donga.com