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South Korea has confirmed that two Chinese teenagers were detained for illegally photographing military aircraft near a key military airbase.
Some shit you should know before you read: If you’re unaware, we’ve previously covered similar incidents involving Chinese nationals—especially foreign exchange students—being accused of spying on US military bases. One standout case happened in September 2019, when two Chinese nationals studying in the US were arrested for trespassing onto Naval Air Station Key West in Florida. According to the Justice Department, they ignored multiple warning signs and snapped photos and videos of military structures before being detained. That case added to a growing pile of espionage-related incidents involving Chinese students in the US.
What’s going on now: South Korean authorities say the two Chinese teenagers were caught photographing fighter jets near Suwon Air Base on March 21, 2025, triggering a high-level investigation into possible espionage. The teens, both high school students, had entered South Korea on tourist visas just three days earlier and were spotted using a DSLR and smartphone to shoot aircraft taking off and landing. The distance—just hundreds of feet from the base—and the use of high-res gear immediately raised red flags.
During questioning, one of them admitted his father works for China’s public security bureau, which only heightened investigators’ concerns. While looking through their devices, authorities found dozens of photos and videos of military aircraft.
More on the base: Suwon Air Base is a strategically important installation run by the Republic of Korea Air Force’s 10th Fighter Wing. It also hosts a US Patriot missile unit, making it critical to both South Korea’s and America’s regional defense posture. The timing of this incident came just days after US-South Korea joint military drills.
Despite all this, the teens claim they’re just aviation geeks.
