Two Former Chinese Military Members Arrested in South Korea for Espionage

In a significant espionage case, South Korean police have arrested two former Chinese military servicemembers. They are accused of various acts, including intercepting communications between fighter jets and ground control, as well as gathering information on the movements of U.S. military equipment. The arrests were made public on Tuesday. One of the suspects, a man in his 60s, allegedly set up an interception device at a hotel near a joint air base used by South Korean and U.S. forces. This device included a software-defined radio receiver, an antenna, and a laptop, which he reportedly used to intercept communications between fighter jets and air traffic controllers multiple times since 2024. The police have stated that they are conducting a forensic examination of his laptop to determine if he transmitted any intercepted communications to Chinese authorities. During questioning, the suspect claimed that listening to communications was a hobby of his, and he was particularly interested in fighter jet communications. The second suspect, a man in his 40s, was arrested on the same day for allegedly collecting sensitive information from the U.S. military headquarters near Seoul. This included details about U.S.-South Korean military exercises, photographs of weapon movements, and personnel changes among high-ranking U.S. military officials. Police allege that he obtained some of this information from a South Korean woman employed at the U.S. command, to whom he reportedly paid money in exchange for the information. The man, who operates a military supply store near the U.S. command, argued that his intentions were to benefit his business. Both suspects have previously served in the Chinese military and are charged with violating laws related to aiding the enemy and protecting military secrets in South Korea. The police announcement coincides with the upcoming large-scale annual military exercises between South Korea and the U.S., which involve approximately 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea to deter potential threats from North Korea.