South Korean Graduate Student Questioned After Claiming Drone Flights Over North Korean Territory
Updated (3 articles)
Oh Interrogated Following Public Drone Admission Police summoned graduate‑student Oh for questioning on Saturday after he told a media outlet he piloted drones into North Korea, asserting they were meant to detect radiation at a uranium site [1]. Investigators raided six locations—including the drone‑manufacturing startup’s office at a Seoul university—and seized a partially assembled drone [1]. Oh and co‑suspect Jang, who was re‑interrogated, face charges under the Aviation Safety Act and the Protection of Military Bases and Installations Act [1]. Both men previously worked in the presidential office during former President Yoon Suk‑yeol’s administration, linking the case to the former government [1].
North Korea Claims Two Separate Drone Intrusions The North Korean military announced on Jan 10 that South Korean drones violated its airspace in September and again on Jan 4, releasing a KCNA photo of a drone it said was forced down in Kaesong [1][2]. Seoul denied involvement, stating its military does not operate the drone models cited and that the investigation is civilian‑led [2][3]. A joint police‑military task force opened an inquiry, issuing search and seizure warrants under the Aviation Safety Act [2][3].
Startup Founders Tied to University and Presidential Office Oh and Jang co‑founded a drone‑manufacturing startup in 2024 with university backing, and both attended the same Seoul university [1][2][3]. The startup’s facility was searched during the raids, while the offices of their North‑Korea‑focused online news outlets were left untouched [2][3]. Jang was questioned a second time on Friday, reinforcing investigators’ focus on the civilian engineers behind the alleged flights [1].
Charges and Intelligence Links Raise Security Questions Prosecutors have charged the suspects with violations of both the Aviation Safety Act and the Protection of Military Bases and Installations Act [1]. The Defense Intelligence Command confirmed Oh’s participation in covert media operations targeting North Korea, though it remains unclear whether intelligence officials were involved in the drone missions [1]. Oh’s radiation‑detection rationale is under scrutiny given his connections to a military‑intelligence official [1].
Sources (3 articles)
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[1]
Yonhap: Graduate Student Oh Questioned Over Alleged Drone Flights to North Korea – Details Oh’s police interrogation, the seizure of a drone, his claimed radiation‑monitoring mission, and links to a presidential‑office background .
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[2]
Yonhap: Police and Military Raid Three Civilian Drone Suspects Linked to North Korea Incursions – Describes the coordinated raid on three suspects, the startup’s university ties, and the North Korean claim of drone incursions .
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[3]
Yonhap: Homes and Offices of Three Civilian Suspects Raided Over Alleged Drone Flights to North Korea – Highlights the undisclosed identities of the suspects, the focus on the startup rather than the news outlets, and Oh’s operation of North‑Korea‑focused media sites .
Timeline
Sep 2025 – North Korea’s military announces that a South Korean drone violates its airspace, marking the first of two alleged incursions that will later be cited by Pyongyang as evidence of Seoul’s aggression [1][2].
Jan 4, 2026 – A second drone is reported to have entered North Korean territory, prompting the North to demand an explanation from South Korea [1][2].
Jan 10, 2026 – North Korea publicly accuses South Korea of the September and Jan. 4 drone violations, intensifying diplomatic tensions and prompting Seoul to launch a joint police‑military investigation [1].
2024 – Two of the suspects co‑found a drone‑manufacturing startup at a Seoul university with university backing, later linked to former President Yoon Suk‑yeol’s administration [2][3].
Jan 21, 2026 – At 8 a.m., a joint police‑military team executes search and seizure warrants at the homes and offices of three civilian suspects, citing the Aviation Safety Act, to determine responsibility for the alleged incursions [2][3].
Jan 21, 2026 – During the raid, investigators seize an unidentified object wrapped in white cloth, believed to be a drone component, and question an additional civilian suspect on the same day [2].
Jan 21, 2026 – Graduate student Oh publicly claims in a media interview that he personally piloted the drones that entered North Korea, directly tying him to the incidents under investigation [2][3].
Jan 26, 2026 – Oh appears before police for questioning after his interview, and authorities charge him under the Aviation Safety Act and the Protection of Military Bases and Installations Act [1].
Jan 26, 2026 – Co‑suspect Jang is re‑interrogated for a second time regarding his role in constructing the drones, underscoring the depth of the probe [1].
Jan 26, 2026 – Police raid six sites, seize a partially assembled drone, and uncover that Oh and Jang co‑founded the university‑backed startup and previously worked at the presidential office during former President Yoon’s administration [1].
Jan 26, 2026 – Oh asserts that the drones were intended to detect radiation at a North Korean uranium facility, a justification investigators scrutinize given his reported connection to a military‑intelligence official [1].
Jan 26, 2026 – Rep. Boo Seung‑chan reports that the Defense Intelligence Command confirms Oh’s involvement in covert media operations focused on North Korea, suggesting possible intelligence agency participation in the drone activities [1].