South Korea arrests ex-Chinese soldiers in fighter jet spying cases

South Korean police arrested two former Chinese servicemen in separate espionage cases targeting US-linked military activity. The arrests sharpen security concerns ahead of major joint drills and raise questions about intelligence gathering around key bases.

In Short

• Police found interception equipment at a hotel near the shared air base
• The older suspect allegedly monitored exchanges between pilots and air traffic controllers
• Forensic checks on his laptop will examine any transfers to Chinese authorities

South Korean police on Tuesday said they had arrested two former Chinese military servicemen on separate allegations of espionage, including intercepting communications between fighter jets and ground control and collecting information on US military activities and weapons movements.

According to police, one suspect, a Chinese man in his 60s, is accused of setting up equipment near a South Korea-US air base in the south to intercept radio exchanges involving military aircraft. The other, a Chinese man in his 40s, was arrested over allegations that he illegally gathered information linked to the US military headquarters near Seoul, including joint drills and movements of weapons.

Police said the older suspect set up an interception device at a hotel near an air base used jointly by the South Korean and US air forces. The device consisted of a software-defined radio receiver, an antenna and a laptop. Investigators allege that he intercepted communications between fighter jets flown by South Korean and US pilots and air traffic controllers at the base several times since 2024.

Police said the man had previously served in the Chinese military, but they did not disclose further details about his identity. He was arrested on Monday for allegedly violating laws on aiding the enemy and protecting communication secrets. Police said they were carrying out a forensic examination of his laptop to determine whether he had passed any intercepted communications to Chinese authorities. During questioning, the man told investigators that it was his hobby to listen to communications between civilian planes and air traffic controllers, and that he also wanted to listen to communications involving fighter jets.

Police said the second man, who runs a military supply store near the US command, was also arrested on Monday. He is accused of illegally collecting information from the US military headquarters near Seoul, including details about US-South Korean military drills, photographs showing the movement of weapons at the headquarters, and personnel changes involving top US military officers.

According to police, he obtained some of the information from a South Korean woman working at the US command. Investigators said he paid her money in return and suspect that the two had a romantic relationship. The man, who police also said had previously served in the Chinese military, told investigators he sought the information because he believed it would help his business. Police said he violated laws on aiding the enemy and protecting military installations in South Korea.

Calls to the Chinese Embassy in Seoul went unanswered after business hours on Tuesday, the report said. The police announcement came a day after the South Korean and US militaries said they would begin their large-scale annual exercises next week. The US stations about 28,500 troops in South Korea to help deter potential aggression from North Korea. In sum, police said the two men were arrested in separate cases involving alleged interception of military communications and collection of sensitive US military information in South Korea.

With PTI Inputs

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