Chinese National Fined for Drone Photography at Jeju Airport

In December of last year, a Chinese national, referred to as A, was fined 3.2 million won for illegally flying a drone and photographing Jeju International Airport, classified as a top-tier national security facility. This incident is part of a troubling trend, with 11 similar unauthorized photography cases involving Chinese nationals reported from June 2022 to May 2023, most resulting in fines around 3 million won. A returned to China approximately three months after the police investigation began.

The police faced challenges due to insufficient regulations and limited time, making it difficult to establish any serious charges. Many individuals, like A, claimed they were merely curious, which complicated the enforcement of penalties. During this time, the images captured were automatically uploaded to a Chinese drone server and shared with A's contacts in China. A deleted the photos from his phone before the police could examine them. Despite this, the police and the Jeju Regional Aviation Administration found themselves limited by existing laws, which only allowed for fines rather than more severe penalties. These fines are applicable to both foreign nationals and South Korean citizens under aviation-related laws.

The police revealed that A's photos were uploaded to the online platform of DJI, a Chinese drone manufacturer, immediately after being taken, due to the automatic linking of the drone to the site. A police investigator noted that while the photos were not linked to other accounts, they were confirmed to be uploaded to the Chinese site and shared via WeChat, a popular messaging app in China.

The police expressed concerns about the implications of these actions, stating that the uploaded images could be accessed by Chinese operators managing the DJI site, raising questions about how these images might be used in China. A was able to leave for China after paying the fine, which was classified as a minor violation under Jeju aviation laws.

Since June 2022, unauthorized photography incidents involving Chinese nationals have been reported at a rate of about once a month, with targets ranging from military bases to critical infrastructure. The leniency of current laws, which only impose fines, has led to repeated offenses by young Chinese individuals, often citing curiosity as their motive.

Experts suggest that the consistent nature of these claims may indicate a more organized pattern of behavior, potentially linked to espionage tactics. The lack of stringent penalties in South Korea stands in stark contrast to the United States, where a Chinese student was arrested and sentenced to prison for similar actions and subsequently deported.

To address these issues, discussions are ongoing regarding amendments to the National Security Law to broaden the definition of espionage to include actions benefiting foreign entities, not just hostile nations. However, political delays and concerns over potential human rights violations have stalled progress on these legislative changes.