At least one of the Chinese students arrested in South Korea for allegedly taking drone video of a United States aircraft carrier reportedly has ties to the Chinese Communist Party. The incident happened on June 25 when the U.S. Navy’s USS Theodore Roosevelt docked at the naval operations command of South Korea in Busan.
Korea JoongAng Daily reported one of the three students accused was recognized as an “excellent communist party member” at a university in China in 2021.
The students claimed they filmed the U.S. aircraft carrier out of curiosity. However, investigators said they found contact information for Chinese public security officials and CCP newsletters on the students’ cell phones.
They also discovered the suspects took hundreds of photos and videos of South Korean and U.S. military facilities. This led officials to believe the suspects were collecting information on the bases over an extensive period and reporting their findings to China.
Officials have yet to say whether the other two students have any clear connections to the CCP. The party has been the sole ruling government of the People’s Republic of China since 1949.
If investigators determine a Chinese intelligence agency planned the incident, the suspects could face life in prison if additional charges of treason are filed.
