Nighttime helicopter drill near Cheong Wa Dae stirs unease
A Capital Defense Command helicopter conducts an airborne training exercise in Seoul, Nov. 7, 2024. The Ministry of National Defense said helicopters flying over the Cheong Wa Dae area Tuesday evening were taking part in a nighttime drill by the command. Joint Press Corps
Multiple helicopters flew over the Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Tuesday evening, prompting unease among some nearby residents as it coincided with President Lee Jae Myung’s trip to New York.
The flights were part of a nighttime training exercise conducted by the Capital Defense Command, according to the Ministry of National Defense. The ministry explained that such drills are occasionally held when the president is outside the country.
The ministry had not responded to further questions about the details, such as the number of helicopters involved and the specific purpose and flight routes of the exercise.
Although it was a drill, the fact that an unusually large number of helicopters were mobilized and were flying after sunset drew unease among residents nearby. The uneasiness was partially because of the memory of the Dec. 3, 2025, martial law imposition by then-President Yoon Suk Yeol, when a dozen helicopters flew to the National Assembly in Yeouido to arrest opposition leaders.
A resident living near Cheong Wa Dae said the chopper noise was unusually frequent and loud compared with normal activity in the area.
“Helicopters occasionally pass through this area when the president is moving, so I normally do not pay much attention,” the resident told The Korea Times. “But the sound didn’t stop.”
The resident said helicopters are normally heard only a few times when official movements take place around Cheong Wa Dae. But because Lee was overseas at the time, the repeated flights were unusual.
“I wondered whether something had happened,” the resident said. “Because of the recent martial law memories, I briefly wondered whether there had been a provocation regarding North Korea or some kind of military movement.”
There were no reports of broader disruption among residents.
At the time, Lee was in New York to attend the U.N. General Assembly, where he delivered a keynote address on peace on the Korean Peninsula and other issues.