▲ A graduate student accused of sending drones to North Korea arrives at the Seoul Central District Court in the capital on Feb. 26, 2026, to attend his arrest warrant hearing. (Yonhap)

(2nd LD) suspect-NK drone

(2nd LD) Suspect in drone flights to N. Korea arrested after hearing

(ATTN: CHANGES headline, lead; UPDATES with details in paras 2, 7-9)

By Lee Haye-ah

SEOUL, Feb. 26 (Yonhap) -- A graduate student accused of flying drones to North Korea was arrested Thursday following a court hearing on his warrant where he had apparently denied the main charges against him.

A judge at the Seoul Central District Court approved the warrant, citing concerns that the suspect could flee or destroy evidence.

The 30-something student, surnamed Oh, faces charges of benefiting the enemy and violating aviation safety and military installation laws by flying drones to North Korea four times from September to January.

The incident became known after Pyongyang claimed last month that South Korea had infringed on its sovereignty with drone incursions in September and January.

During the hearing at the court, Oh claimed he was not directed by anyone to send the drones, denying suspicions of links to the military intelligence command.

The charge of benefiting the enemy also applies to cases where the military interests of one's own nation are harmed, and Oh's claim appeared aimed at disputing the notion that he harmed South Korea's military interests by stoking tensions with the North.

During the hearing, Oh reportedly partly shifted his previous stance on his motive for sending the drones to the North.

In earlier media interviews, he had said the purpose was to check radiation levels at a uranium facility.

At Thursday's hearing, however, he was believed to have said that he intended to use information obtained through the drones for research or business purposes.

A military-police investigation task force requested a warrant for his arrest last week after concluding he had flown the drones to test their performance for a drone business.

The aircraft were set up to depart from Ganghwa Island in Incheon, west of Seoul, and fly over North Korea's Kaesong and Pyongsan before returning to Paju, northwest of Seoul, it said.

The task force has been investigating seven people in connection with the drone flights, including Oh, those allegedly involved in the aircraft's production, and military and spy agency officials.

Last month, President Lee Jae Myung ordered a strict joint investigation by the military and the police following suspicions of a civilian's involvement in the drone operations.

The Unification Ministry later unveiled measures to prevent a recurrence, prompting Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, to express her appreciation for the plan.

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