Seoul: Two Chinese nationals have been arrested for allegedly gathering classified information on South Korea-US military exercises and intercepting fighter jet communications near an air force base. The arrests were made earlier this month, according to police reports on August 11.
According to Yonhap News Agency, one of the arrested individuals, a Chinese man in his 40s, reportedly recruited a South Korean civilian employee at Camp Humphreys, a key US military base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. The suspect is accused of obtaining sensitive information regarding US command facilities, weapons movements, and materials related to the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield joint military exercise. Authorities believe he operated a military-surplus store near Camp Humphreys as a front for his espionage activities.
The second suspect, a Chinese national in his 60s, was apprehended after setting up surveillance equipment, including a receiver and an antenna, in a hotel room near the military airport in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province. He is accused of eavesdropping on radio communications between air traffic controllers and pilots. Police disclosed that he had frequently traveled to South Korea on tourist visas since 2024, monitoring military communications during joint exercises of the South Korean and US Air Forces.
Both suspects were identified as former members of China's People's Liberation Army, raising concerns about a potential organized espionage operation. However, due to the current legal framework, they cannot be charged with espionage under the Criminal Act. While a revision passed by the National Assembly in February broadens the scope of espionage charges, it will not take effect until September 13. Consequently, the suspects were charged with aiding the enemy under the Criminal Act and violating the Protection of Military Bases and Installations Act, which carry lighter penalties.
Incidents of suspected Chinese espionage targeting military intelligence in South Korea and US Forces Korea have seen an uptick in recent years. Earlier cases include Chinese high school students caught photographing fighter jets at Suwon Air Base in March 2025 and Chinese university students in Busan arrested for photographing a US aircraft carrier in June 2024. The National Intelligence Service (NIS) reported more than 10 cases between 2023 and 2025 involving Chinese nationals secretly photographing key national facilities using drones and other equipment.
The US Senate and House Armed Services Committees have instructed the Department of Defense to report on the Chinese Communist Party's activities in South Korea as part of the fiscal 2027 National Defense Authorization Act, highlighting the perceived threat to US defense interests posed by China's espionage.
Beyond military targets, Chinese espionage efforts have extended to South Korea's advanced technology sector, particularly in semiconductors. In April, former Samsung Electronics employees were imprisoned for leaking DRAM manufacturing technology to China's leading DRAM maker, CXMT.
Concerns have been raised over South Korea's counterintelligence capabilities. The Lee Jae Myung administration has faced criticism for dismantling the Defense Counterintelligence Command and abolishing the National Intelligence Service's counterespionage investigative authority in 2024. There are fears that fragmented investigative jurisdictions may struggle to counter increasingly sophisticated espionage activities effectively.