Top News

Representational Image

Seoul, May 14: On Thursday, two individuals from China received prison sentences for unlawfully capturing footage of fighter jets at various military installations belonging to South Korea and the United States, as well as for attempting to intercept air traffic control communications.

The Suwon District Court imposed an indeterminate prison sentence of 1.5 to 2 years on an 18-year-old Chinese high school student, while a 20-year-old Chinese man was sentenced to two years in prison, both found guilty of general treason. The indeterminate sentence is applicable to minors under juvenile law.

This case marks a significant precedent as it is the first instance in South Korea where a foreign national has been convicted of general treason under the Criminal Act.

The court also mandated the confiscation of their cameras and other equipment utilized in the commission of the crime, as reported by a local news agency.

The two were apprehended and charged after taking hundreds of detailed photographs of fighter jets during multiple visits to South Korea from the latter half of 2024 until March of last year, when they were still in high school.

They were discovered to have visited four military sites in South Korea and the US, including Suwon, Osan, Pyeongtaek, and Cheongju, along with three major international airports: Incheon, Gimpo, and Jeju. Their illegal activities came to light when a local resident alerted the police about their filming at Suwon Air Base.

The court concluded that the defendants were guilty of all charges, emphasizing that their actions constituted treason that could jeopardize South Korea's military interests. The court highlighted the seriousness of the offense, noting that the photographs compromised the security of aircraft deployment and the primary missions of the air bases.

In a related case in Busan, other Chinese nationals have been charged with illegally filming a US aircraft carrier, although a verdict in that matter is still pending.