Police question graduate student for third time over alleged North Korean drone intrusion

[Financial News] The police investigating North Korea’s claim that South Korean unmanned aerial vehicles intruded into its airspace have again summoned a graduate student in his 30s identified as the main suspect.
According to the police and other sources on the 4th, the joint military–police investigation task force (TF) summoned Mr. Oh the previous day as a suspect on charges of violating the Aviation Safety Act and the Protection of Military Bases and Installations Act. This was the third time he has been called in, following earlier questioning on the 21st and 27th of last month.
Investigators are said to have obtained indications that Mr. Oh had been in contact with more than three officers from the Defense Intelligence Command since last year, and questioned him closely about what kind of communications they exchanged.
Up to this day, the police have conducted a total of eight rounds of questioning of three suspects: Mr. Oh, who serves as a director at the drone manufacturer Estel Engineering; the company’s chief executive, Mr. Jang; and Mr. Kim, a director in charge of North Korea–related operations. Based on their statements, the police are expected to soon summon officials from the Defense Intelligence Command and then decide whether to expand the investigation.
Mr. Oh had earlier appeared on a television program on the 16th of last month and claimed that he had sent drones to North Korea. He said he decided to give the interview after seeing the TF summon Mr. Jang as a suspect for questioning. Mr. Oh and Mr. Jang, who were senior and junior at the same private university in Seoul, founded Estel Engineering in 2024 with support from the school, taking the roles of director and chief executive, respectively.
welcome@fnnews.com Jang Yu-ha Reporter