Two former staffers from the administration of ex-ROK President Yoon Suk-yeol are under investigation for allegedly operating a drone that entered the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), according to a Yonhap News Agency report. The joint military-police probe centers on claims that one suspect built the device while the other piloted it near a uranium facility along the Ryesong River in January 2026.
The suspects, both in their 30s and co-founders of a 2024 drone startup, reportedly claimed the flight aimed to measure radiation and heavy-metal contamination. Their actions follow DPRK accusations earlier this month that the ROK violated its airspace with a January 4 drone incursion, as reported by the Korean Central News Agency.
Authorities are examining whether the former presidential office employees coordinated the operation, with analysts warning such incidents could heighten tensions on the Korean Peninsula. The case highlights growing concerns about civilian-led cross-border surveillance activities amid fragile inter-Korean relations.
