Concrete and multiple testimonies have been secured indicating that the Yoon Suk-yeol administration arrested 50 to 60 individuals suspected of being Chinese spies during an operation last summer. 

According to a whistleblower, special military units carried out a large-scale arrest operation targeting suspected Chinese spies in the Yeosu area of Jeollanam-do province from July to August last year. 

The whistleblower, speaking to this outlet, testified that the operation took place around July-August of last year and involved the arrest of approximately 50 individuals. 

[Whistleblower (voice modulated): "Around July-August, they swept up from Yeosu and moved north. (Yes, yes) They had already apprehended some in July-August... (Yes) Approximately 50 people... (Yes, yes) It wasn't all done in one location... (Yes, yes, yes)"] 

In relation to this, a U.S. intelligence source mentioned that "there was an operation from December 2023 to September 2024." They also stated the scale of the arrests as "60 Chinese nationals." This outlet recently re-inquired about these remarks and received a response from the same source affirming their accuracy. 

[Reporter Huh (voice modulated): "Regarding the period from December 2023 to September of last year, / U.S. Intelligence Source (voice modulated): Ah, that shouldn't be discussed over the phone. / Reporter Huh (voice modulated): Yes, yes, yes, yes. So, at that time, there was something (you mentioned earlier as an operation)? / U.S. Intelligence Source (voice modulated): In any case, let's meet and talk. / Reporter Huh (voice modulated): Yes, yes, yes. Understood. So, was it completely finished in September? / U.S. Intelligence Source (voice modulated): Yes." 

#Meeting elsewhere -- [U.S. Intelligence Source (voice modulated): "They said they investigated all the Chinese nationals, stating that 60 people were Chinese. (Yes) However, there are several places where these Chinese... spies... reside in Korea. (Yes, yes) They reportedly went to concentrated areas where those individuals were gathered and searched thoroughly to apprehend them. (Ah, yes... Understood.)"

The whistleblower further elaborated on the specificity of the operation, stating, "They selected individuals by looking at a list." 

[Whistleblower (voice modulated): "They didn't arrest them all by herding them into one place. (Yes) They apprehended this person here and that person there, selecting them while looking at a list... (Yes)"] 

They also mentioned the roles of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). 

[Whistleblower (voice modulated): "And probably, the NIS and DIA were heavily involved..."] 

This is interpreted as information that could have been known during the course of the operation. 

However, this outlet was unable to independently verify the NIS and DIA's involvement in the operation. Inquiries to the Ministry of National Defense also yielded no response regarding this operation. 

The whistleblower also described the operational method, stating that the NIS was aware of suspected spies entering Yeosu but did not apprehend them immediately. 

[Whistleblower (voice modulated): "(From higher authorities) But they say that once they enter Yeosu, the NIS knows about it. (Yes) But they don't apprehend them right away... (Yes, yes)"] 

When meeting with the whistleblower, the reporter mentioned having heard about operations prior to December 3rd, to which the whistleblower responded with apparent surprise. 

[Reporter Huh (voice modulated): "Yes, I've heard similar stories from two people. / Whistleblower (voice modulated): Ah, the same story as mine? / Reporter Huh (voice modulated): Yes, it spanned, yes (from late 2023) it spanned until around September (when the operation ended). Yes, yes. So we are continuing to investigate that as a separate operation. / Whistleblower (voice modulated): Hmm... Ah... Uh..."] 

These testimonies can be interpreted as circumstances reflecting President Yoon's firm resolve regarding national security and the apprehension of spies. Accordingly, if the summer arrest operation is proven to be true, the declaration of a state of emergency on December 3rd could be seen as part of a long-term security strategy rather than an impromptu decision.