Anchor: A joint military-police team is investigating North Korean claims that South Korea infringed on its sovereignty with drone incursions in recent months. Currently, the major suspects in the case are two civilians who worked at the presidential office under former President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Rosyn Park has this report.

Report: Earlier this month, when North Korea accused South Korea of sending drones into its airspace in September of last year and again on January 4, the defense ministry in Seoul immediately denied carrying out any such operations and raised the possibility of civilian involvement.

On January 16, four days after the joint military-police investigative team was formed, the team summoned a civilian as a suspect in the case.

The suspect had faced charges in November of last year related to flying unregistered drones in Gyeonggi Province.

The investigation team said the model the suspect flew at that time looked similar to the drone that North Korea claimed entered its airspace.

While this suspect was under investigation, another man came forward and claimed he was the person who flew the drones over the border.

This second suspect, a man identified only by his surname, Oh, claimed in an interview with local media that the first suspect questioned by police built the drones.

However, Oh said he was the person who flew the drones toward the North on three occasions, claiming his intention was to measure radiation levels near a uranium facility in North Hwanghae Province.

The two suspects reportedly attended the same university in Seoul, worked together at a conservative youth organization and even worked at the presidential office under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration at the same time in 2022.

It’s believed the following year they set up a drone manufacturing company together.

The authorities said they are investigating whether the two men acted in concert as they continue to try and get a full picture of the case.
Rosyn Park, KBS World Radio News.