South Korean police said on August 11 that they had arrested two Chinese nationals for allegedly engaging in activities benefiting an enemy near South Korean and U.S. military facilities. One suspect, a Chinese man in his 60s, allegedly used a software-defined radio (SDR), antenna, and laptop from a hotel less than one kilometer from Gunsan Air Base in April to intercept communications between fighter aircraft and air traffic control. Police said he had repeatedly entered South Korea on a tourist visa since January 2024, including during joint U.S.-South Korean air exercises, and are investigating whether the intercepted intelligence was passed to Chinese authorities.
The second suspect, a 45-year-old ethnic Korean Chinese national, allegedly operated a military goods store near the main gate of U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys as a cover while recruiting a South Korean employee to obtain military information. From November 2021 to May 2026, he allegedly acquired materials related to U.S.-South Korean exercises, including the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield drills, as well as personnel information, command assignments, and photographs from military ceremonies. Police also accused him of observing and photographing weapons movements inside the base.
Both suspects are reportedly former military personnel. South Korean authorities are conducting digital forensics on their electronic devices and investigating whether military intelligence was transferred to Chinese authorities.
Source: Yonhap News Agency, August 11, 2026
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