Chinese teen-Jeju airport

▲ This undated file photo shows the control tower of Jeju International Airport on the southern island of Jeju. (Yonhap)

JEJU, South Korea, Sept. 15 (Yonhap) -- A Chinese teenager has been booked on suspicion of using a private transceiver to illegally eavesdrop on air traffic control at an airport on the southern island of Jeju, local police said Tuesday.

The suspect allegedly used a radio to secretly listen to tower-aircraft communications for 90 minutes on Aug. 27 from the observation deck of Jeju International Airport, a Class A national security facility, according to the Jeju Provincial Police Agency.

Police apprehended the teenage boy at the scene after a visitor grew suspicious and notified authorities.

An investigation showed the teenager arrived from China on the day of the incident with the radio, which is reportedly sold on a Chinese website for about 43,000 won (US$32).

The teenager was also found to have previously entered South Korea multiple times unaccompanied. His camera contained numerous photos of at least two military facilities in Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds Seoul.

Police said they have placed a travel ban on the suspect and that they are looking into his motives, and any possible link between the eavesdropping and filming of military facilities, which might have national security implications.

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