2 Taiwanese get suspended terms for photos at US base in Korea
A U.S. Marine Corps F-35B fighter jet flies during the Osan Air Power Day 2025 event at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, May 11. Yonhap
Two Taiwanese nationals have been handed suspended prison sentences for unlawfully entering a U.S. military air base in South Korea and taking unauthorized photographs of fighter jets during an airshow earlier this year.
Judge Woo Je-cheon of the Pyeongtaek Branch of the Suwon District Court sentenced a man in his 60s and another in his 40s to 18 months in prison, suspended for three years, according to legal sources on Thursday.
The pair was indicted and detained on charges of violating the Military Base and Installation Protection Act.
“The defendants entered a military base and photographed military equipment without permission from the commanding officer,” Judge Woo said. “Given the circumstances and nature of the offense, the crime is of a serious nature.”
The incident took place on the morning of May 10 during the 2025 Osan Air Show held at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. U.S. Forces Korea had restricted entry for nationals of certain countries, including China and Taiwan, due to security concerns.
Despite being stopped three times by U.S. military personnel, the two men eventually gained access by blending in with Korean nationals entering through a domestic gate. Once inside, they illegally took photos of fighter jets and other military assets using a camera before being apprehended.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.