South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday ordered an investigation into claims that the country’s military intelligence command supported a civilian accused of sending drones into North Korea.
The civilian at the centre of the allegations, a graduate student in his thirties identified only by his surname Oh, claims he flew drones into North Korea three times since September last year.
He previously worked in ex-president Yoon Suk-yeol’s office and allegedly received – according to local media reports – financial backing from the Korea Defence Intelligence Command (KDIC), whose former commanders are among those on trial over Yoon’s failed attempt to impose martial law in December 2024.
At a cabinet meeting, Lee expressed concern over whether the latest drone flights were connected to that episode.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a cabinet meeting at the presidential office in Seoul on Tuesday. Photo: Yonhap/EPA
“It is questionable how civilians could even imagine sending drones at a time when such a trial is under way,” he said, noting there were “allegations that a state agency was involved”.