Nighttime helicopter drill near Cheong Wa Dae stirs unease

Helicopters flew over Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Tuesday evening during a nighttime training exercise by the Capital Defense Command, prompting unease among some nearby residents. The Ministry of National Defense said such drills are occasionally held when the president is outside the country. The flights drew extra concern because President Lee Jae Myung was in New York and some residents recalled the Dec. 3, 2025 martial law episode.

The ministry said the drill was conducted by the Capital Defense Command.

The ministry said such nighttime drills are occasionally held when the president is outside the country.

Residents said the repeated helicopter noise felt unusually frequent and loud compared with normal activity near Cheong Wa Dae.

Some residents linked their unease to the Dec. 3, 2025 martial law imposition, when helicopters flew to the National Assembly in Yeouido to arrest opposition leaders.

Lee Jae Myung was in New York to attend the U.N. General Assembly and delivered a keynote address on peace on the Korean Peninsula and other issues.

Published Sep 23, 2026 12:43 pm KST

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.

周二晚间，首都防卫司令部在首尔青瓦台上空进行夜间训练演习，直升机飞越该区域，引发附近部分居民的不安。韩国国​​防部表示，总统出访期间偶尔会举行此类演习。由于李在明总统当时正在纽约，一些居民不禁回想起2025年12月3日韩国实施戒严令的情景，因此此次演习更令人担忧。

该部表示，此次演习由首都防卫司令部组织进行。

该部表示，总统出国期间偶尔会举行此类夜间演习。

居民们表示，与青瓦台附近的正常活动相比，直升机的噪音反复出现，而且异常频繁和响亮。

一些居民将他们的不安与 2025 年 12 月 3 日实施的戒严令联系起来，当时直升机飞往汝矣岛的国会大厦逮捕反对派领导人。

李在明当时在纽约出席联合国大会，并就朝鲜半岛和平及其他问题发表了主旨演讲。

发布于2026年9月23日下午12:43（韩国标准时间）

2024年11月7日，一架首都防卫司令部直升机在首尔进行空中训练演习。韩国国防部表示，周二晚间飞越青瓦台地区的直升机正在参加该司令部进行的夜间演习。联合新闻社

周二晚间，多架直升机飞越首尔青瓦台上空，由于正值李在明总统访问纽约之际，这引起了附近一些居民的不安。

据国防部称，这些飞行是首都防卫司令部进行的夜间训练演习的一部分。国防部解释说，总统出国期间偶尔会举行此类演习。

对于有关演习细节的进一步问题，例如参与演习的直升机数量、具体目的和飞行路线等，国防部尚未作出回应。

尽管只是一次演习，但出动数量异常庞大的直升机，并在日落后仍在飞行，还是引起了附近居民的不安。这种不安部分源于人们对2025年12月3日时任总统尹锡悦宣布戒严令的记忆。当时，十几架直升机飞往汝矣岛的国会大厦，逮捕了反对派领导人。

一位住在青瓦台附近的居民表示，与该地区的正常活动相比，直升机的噪音异常频繁且响亮。

“总统出行时，直升机偶尔会飞过这个区域，所以我通常不太在意，”这位居民告诉《韩国时报》，“但声音一直没停。”

这位居民表示，通常情况下，只有在青瓦台附近进行官方活动时才会听到几次直升机的声音。但由于李当时身在海外，所以频繁的直升机飞行显得很不寻常。

“我当时在想是不是发生了什么事，”这位居民说。“因为最近戒严时期的记忆犹新，我短暂地怀疑是不是朝鲜方面受到了挑衅，或者有什么军事行动。”

没有关于居民生活受到更大范围干扰的报告。

当时，李正前往纽约参加联合国大会，并在会上就朝鲜半岛和平及其他问题发表了主旨演讲。