Authorities in South Korea have arrested three Chinese students for using a drone to film the U.S. Navy’s USS Theodore Roosevelt, a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, while it was docked in Busan on June 25. Reports suggest that one of the students may have ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
According to Korea JoongAng Daily, one of the suspects was recognized as an “excellent communist party member” at a Chinese university in 2021. Investigators found evidence on their cell phones, including contact details for Chinese public security officials and CCP newsletters, along with hundreds of photos and videos of South Korean and U.S. military facilities.
Although the students claimed their actions were motivated by curiosity, officials suspect they were engaged in espionage, potentially gathering intelligence on military bases over an extended period.
The investigation is ongoing, and officials are yet to establish whether the other two students have direct ties to the CCP. If links to Chinese intelligence are confirmed, the suspects could face life imprisonment under charges of treason. The incident underscores heightened concerns over security risks posed by alleged espionage activities in the region.
