Two Chinese nationals caught filming near US military base in Pyeongtaek

Two Chinese nationals were caught filming near a US military facility in Pyeongtaek on Monday, a month after two other Chinese citizens were found photographing aircraft near an air base in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province.

The security investigation division of the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency said it booked the two without detention on suspicion of violating the Military Facility Protection Act.

The suspects took unauthorized photographs near Osan Air Base, also known as K-55, around 9 a.m. Monday. They reportedly photographed parts of the base and military aircraft using a camera. Details about the equipment used or the specific facilities captured were not disclosed.

Police said they investigated the case in cooperation with the National Intelligence Service and the Defense Counterintelligence Command, and concluded around 5 p.m. that there was no indication of anti-state activities, without further elaborating for “security” grounds.

In a separate case last month, two Chinese teenagers were caught taking photos of aircraft taking off and landing near the Suwon Air Base using DSLR cameras and smartphones. They were also found to have taken thousands of photographs at four military facilities, including the US base in Pyeongtaek and an air base in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province.

After police obtained testimony that one of the teenagers’ fathers is an official with China’s Public Security Bureau, the teen was booked for investigation.