Taiwanese man arrested in South Korea for filming NIS building

Seoul, May 30 (CNA) A Taiwanese man was arrested by South Korean police on Thursday for allegedly filming the interior of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) building.

The man, in his 30s, was reported to the police for filming the building's interior with his mobile phone at around 12:30 p.m. from somewhere around its main entrance, and he was later arrested for violating laws protecting military bases and institutions.

According to local media, the man loitered around the building's entrance for a long period of time, and police are now checking his mobile phone to confirm whether he has violated national security laws and whether to apply for a formal arrest warrant.

At the time of his arrest, the man told the police that he was interested in history and was filming the nearby UNESCO World Heritage Site Heonilleung, the site of two royal tombs, Heonleung and Inleung, the media report said.

The tombs and the NIS building are both in Naegok-dong area in the southern part of Seoul.

The arrest comes on the heels of recent cases of Chinese nationals illegally filming South Korean military facilities, which have raised security concerns.

In response, the U.S. military barred Chinese and Taiwanese nationals from entering the Osan Air Power Days event earlier in May.

Despite the ban, two Taiwanese nationals were accused of illegally entering the air show venue on May 12 and photographing U.S. military facilities and equipment. They remain in police custody and are under investigation.