South Korean police and military investigators raided the homes and offices of three civilian suspects accused of drone flights into North Korea, escalating the probe sparked by a graduate student's public claim last week. The action targets individuals linked to sovereignty violation claims by Pyongyang in late 2025 and early 2026.
In the latest development in the investigation into alleged drone flights over North Korea—first publicized by a graduate student's claim of responsibility aired on January 16—a joint police-military team executed search warrants on Wednesday against three civilian suspects, starting at 8 a.m., the National Police Agency's National Office of Investigation said.
One suspect is the 30-something graduate student surnamed Oh, who claimed in a Channel A interview last Friday that he built the drones flown by an acquaintance to monitor pollution at a North Korean uranium facility in Pyongsan County. The two attended the same Seoul university, previously worked at the presidential office under former President Yoon Suk Yeol, and co-founded a drone manufacturing startup in 2024 with university support. A third suspect's connection remains unspecified.
Police emphasized a thorough investigation with all possibilities open but withheld identities. North Korea released a photo of a drone on January 10, attributing it to South Korea, though Seoul's military denied involvement, citing mismatched models. President Lee Jae-myung has ordered a comprehensive probe amid rising tensions.
The raids follow initial questioning of one suspect last week, with investigations ongoing.
