The Drone Case, Where Intelligence and Politics Overlap

Despite official statements from the authorities, who refer to the individuals involved in the case as secret supporters of the former president, in actuality it seems they decided to distance themselves from a group of freelance military intelligence operatives due to political expediency.

Three at the center of attention

The main suspect is a man around 30 years old, a certain Mr. Oh. In an interview with Channel A, he admitted that since September 2025, he had independently directed drones toward North Korea on three occasions: two of them crashed in Northern territory, and one successfully returned. Oh provided video recordings and explained that the flights were conducted to measure radiation levels in the Pyongsan County area (North Hwanghae Province), where a uranium processing facility is located.

The second suspect is Jang, who is suspected of assembling and modifying the drones. He purchased the drone’s frame through a Chinese online platform and was involved in its modification.

The third suspect is Kim, who worked together with Oh and Jang at the same company specializing in drone production.

What is known to the investigation

To date, the investigation has gathered much information. Firstly, according to “sources familiar with the case”, the group has long been involved not only with drones but also with politics. Oh, and Jang previously worked on temporary contracts in the office of former president Yoon Suk Yeol’s press secretary, handling news monitoring, and they also attended the same graduate school in Seoul. In September 2023, they jointly founded a drone manufacturing company, and in 2024, they co-founded a startup focused on unmanned aerial vehicles with the support of a yet undisclosed university.

As for Kim, following the North Korean drone incursion into Seoul in late 2022, he publicly advocated for retaliatory drone launches toward North Korea.

Secondly, the group received support from the South Korean military intelligence command (DIC). This has been reported by both the progressive Newstapa and the conservative Chosun Ilbo.

Intelligence operation: contacts with Oh and Jang and their role in gathering information on North Korea 

The first contacts between South Korean military intelligence and citizens Oh and Jang occurred in July 2024, during Yoon Suk Yeol’s presidency. Despite subsequent events on December 3, 2024, and the impeachment of the president, military intelligence continued to maintain contact with these individuals.

Sources report that intelligence agencies considered the possibility of using drones to gather information, including on North Korea’s nuclear facilities. In this regard, Oh and Jang were identified as potential targets for agent recruitment, capable of facilitating data collection by proxy. It has been confirmed that one intelligence officer contacted Oh and reviewed materials obtained via UAVs.

According to left-leaning media, Oh was formally registered as a “cooperating individual,” effectively becoming a military intelligence agent. His activities were allegedly used as part of an operation to create a media cover. Information about the project was reportedly relayed to brigades. The Ministry of Defense confirmed the investigation but refrains from commenting until its completion.

Details of the cover-up

Oh is suspected of managing two companies that were disguised as online stores. According to another version, they were online news outlets focused on North Korea (their names have not yet been disclosed). In reality, these companies were engaged in intelligence activities on behalf of military intelligence. Oh allegedly received 10 million won (approximately $6,783) for operational expenses or as a fee. The companies were registered in April 2025, after which Oh received monthly payments from a military intelligence officer ranging from several hundred thousand to several million won. Both outlets, where Oh is listed as the publisher, specialized in analyzing North Korean politics, society, and economy, as well as covering international affairs.

After the military intelligence’s activities were uncovered, both outlets were shut down. Kim is also involved in this case.

Jang’s mysterious arrest

Another interesting detail involves Jang. In November 2025, he was detained on charges of violating aviation safety regulations for flying an unregistered drone south of Seoul. The drone used at that time was identical to the one allegedly sent to North Korea. However, after questioning, Jang was released without being formally charged. Notably, it was later revealed that the drone’s memory card and flight route recorder had gone missing. This circumstance has led to speculation about the military intelligence’s involvement in the incident and an attempt to cover their tracks, as well as the possibility that the entire group may have been acting under their direction.

Political battle surrounding the drone incident

The investigation into the drone launches is still in its early stages. Oh, Jang, and Kim are being questioned, including on suspicion of having ties to intelligence agencies. Searches have been conducted at their homes and workplaces. The individuals involved have been charged with violating the Aviation Safety Act and the Act on the Protection of Military Bases and Installations. They are prohibited from leaving the country, but no arrests have been made so far.

The Defense Intelligence Command of the Ministry of Defense confirmed its cooperation with Oh as part of covert media operations targeting North Korea. According to their statement, this was standard intelligence activity unrelated to the current political situation. However, it remains unclear whether military intelligence personnel were involved in the alleged drone flights. Oh continues to insist that he operated the drones to test for radioactive contamination at a North Korean uranium facility and did not anticipate that his scientific activity could lead to punishment. In connection with this, investigators intend to question Colonel S, who, according to some reports, authorized the recruitment of Oh and Jang.

During the investigation, it was revealed that one of the drones managed to photograph South Korean military facilities, specifically positions of the 2nd Marine Division. South Korea’s air defense system did not detect the drone.

South Korean authorities have expressed strong outrage over the incident. Speaking at a cabinet meeting on January 20, President Lee Jae Myung ordered a thorough investigation into the circumstances of the drone launch into North Korea, calling it an “unacceptable act requiring strict measures.” Subsequently, the president reprimanded Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-baek for the failure to detect the drone activities.

Russian historian and journalist Oleg Kiryanov is skeptical of graduate student Oh’s claim that the drone flights into North Korea were for scientific purposes, considering it highly unlikely.

It is possible that a group of conservatives used the drones and received cover from military intelligence. Against the backdrop of recent events related to the “rebellion,” military intelligence is planning to be reorganized for the second time (the first attempt was made under President Moon Jae-in). It is also planned to disband the special drone command. The Chosun Ilbo newspaper supports the thesis that military intelligence personnel may have been involved, who, despite the shift in political course and the rise to power of Lee Jae Myung, could have continued risky operations contrary to the new government’s policies.

The new South Korean leadership formally seeks dialogue with the North, but these attempts are demonstrative in nature, and intelligence activities continue. The intelligence leadership, traditionally inclined to produce conclusions pleasing to their superiors, may have resorted to supporting or even creating groups of “freelancers” to conduct intelligence activities, while maintaining the ability to distance themselves from them in the event of accusations.

As Kim Yo Jong rightly noted, Pyongyang likely does not care whose drones violated its airspace. However, for the domestic audience, especially in the context of shifting responsibility, this incident is significant.

Ahead of the local elections on June 3, 2026, such a high-profile scandal could both discredit the right-wing and shift some responsibility away from President Lee. If it is assumed that military intelligence encouraged such activity with the approval of the top leadership, then Lee Jae Myung would be in the same ranks as Yoon Suk Yeol and could also be accused of attempting to provoke a conflict with the North.

Konstantin Asmolov, PhD in History, Leading Researcher at the Center for Korean Studies, Institute of China and Modern Asia, Russian Academy of Sciences

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