Two Taiwanese Arrested For Entering US Military Bases Without Permit
JAKARTA - Two Taiwanese nationals were recently arrested for illegally entering the United States Air Force base in South Korea, photographing fighter jets and other military facilities.
The Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police said on Wednesday they had requested arrest warrants for two Taiwanese nationals, in their 60s and 40s, who have since been detained on suspicion of violating the Military Base and Installation Protection Act.
According to police, the Taiwanese national entered Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek on Saturday during "Osan Air Power Days 2025", although it has been denied entry by US military officials, reported The Korea Times May 15.
They used the gates provided for Korean citizens and mingled with crowds to gain unauthorized access. Once entered, they used telephoto lenses to photograph fighter jets and US facilities.
In a separate incident, two Chinese citizens involved in a similar incident were released without being detained.
According to the police, the determining factor is whether the suspects have entered the banned military territory.
Two Chinese nationals who were previously investigated on the same charge were released shortly after interrogation.
The two Chinese nationals, identified as father and son, were arrested on April 21 near the same airbase. Police said they only took photos of planes in the sky from outside the base, and there were no indications of espionage or criminal intent.
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They were released on the same day, which sparked criticism when they returned two days later and repeated the same behavior.
Police said photos taken by Taiwanese nationals pose a serious risk to the security of the base. Meanwhile, the images taken by Chinese nationals do not appear to violate the law.
Ginseng State authorities also confirmed that two Chinese teenagers were being investigated for taking photos of unauthorized aircraft near Suwon Air Base and other US military facilities, including K-6 in Pyeongtaek, using DSLR cameras and smartphones.