Police question graduate student claiming responsibility over alleged drone flights to N. Korea

▲ Police investigators transport a seized object from the office of suspects accused of flying drones into North Korea at a university in Seoul on Jan. 21, 2026. (Yonhap)

police-drone incursion

Police question graduate student claiming responsibility over alleged drone flights to N. Korea

SEOUL, Jan. 26 (Yonhap) -- A graduate student who claimed responsibility over alleged recent drone flights to North Korea underwent police questioning over the weekend, officials said Monday.

The 30-something suspect, surnamed Oh, appeared before police Saturday after claiming in a media interview earlier this month that he flew the drones himself following North Korea's announcement of the alleged flights.

The North's military claimed on Jan. 10 that South Korea infringed on its sovereignty with drone incursions in September and on Jan. 4, prompting South Korean police to launch a joint investigation with the military.

Investigators also questioned another suspect, surnamed Jang, accused of building the drones, for the second time on Friday. The suspects face charges of violating the Aviation Safety Act and the Protection of Military Bases and Installations Act.

Investigators have widened the probe after the two suspects were found to have co-founded a drone manufacturing company and to have worked at the presidential office under former President Yoon Suk Yeol.

Police are reportedly looking into possible motives behind the alleged flights as well as various allegations surrounding the suspects, such as Oh's suspected link to a military intelligence unit.

Oh has claimed that he flew the drones to check for signs of radioactive contamination at a North Korean uranium facility, but his claims have faced scrutiny after revelations of his links to a military intelligence official.

The Defense Intelligence Command has confirmed that Oh cooperated in its covert operations to operate media outlets focused on North Korea, according to Rep. Boo Seung-chan of the ruling Democratic Party.

It, however, remains unclear whether military intelligence officials were involved in the alleged drone flights.

Last Wednesday, investigators raided six locations, including the drone manufacturing company's office at a university in Seoul, where they reportedly seized a partially assembled drone.

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