A graduate student in his 30s surnamed Oh, who flew a drone into North Korea, will undergo a pretrial detention hearing on the 26th.
According to legal sources on the 23rd, the Seoul Central District Court will hold a detention warrant review for Oh at 10:30 a.m. on the 26th. Oh is accused of, among other charges, general aiding the enemy, violating the Aviation Safety Act, and violating the Military Bases Act. It was originally scheduled for the 24th but was postponed to the 26th.
The joint military-police investigation task force (TF) was found that Oh flew drones into North Korea a total of four times to gain economic benefits from a drone business. The drones Oh flew were reportedly set to depart from Ganghwa Island in Incheon, pass through Kaesong City and Pyeongsan County in North Korea, and return to Paju, Gyeonggi.
The TF believes that Oh's drones prompted North Korea to issue a condemnation statement and raised inter-Korean tensions, putting the public at risk.
The TF is currently investigating seven people, including Oh, as suspects in the case. Oh is the first for whom the TF has sought custody.
President Lee Jae-myung earlier said on the 20th of last month, regarding a civilian drone's incursion into North Korea, that it was "no different from an act of initiating war," adding, "There is even talk that a state agency is involved. We must investigate thoroughly and impose strict sanctions so this can never happen again." Earlier on the 10th, he had instructed, "As this is a grave crime that threatens peace on the Korean Peninsula and national security, form a joint military-police investigation team and conduct a swift and stern investigation."