Chinese, Russian Military Aircraft Enter South Korea's Air Defense Zone

SEOUL, June 27 (Yonhap) -- Nearly 10 Chinese and Russian military aircraft briefly entered and left South Korea's air defense identification zone (KADIZ) above the country's eastern and southern waters, South Korea's military said Saturday. The Chinese and Russian military aircraft successively entered the KADIZ earlier in the day before retreating from the air defense zone, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The aircraft, which reportedly included bombers and fighter jets, did not violate South Korea's airspace, the JCS said. The South Korean military detected the aircraft before they entered the air defense zone, and dispatched Air Force fighter jets to prepare for any possible contingencies, it added. The air defense zone is not territorial airspace but is delineated to call on foreign planes to identify themselves so as to prevent accidental clashes. The brief entry appears to have occurred during joint air drills between the two countries, according to a JCS official. Beijing's defense ministry later said Chinese and Russian forces conducted their 11th joint strategic aerial patrol, which it claimed was conducted to show their resolve to safeguard regional peace and stability. It marks the latest such incident after nine military planes from China and Russia entered the KADIZ in December last year, prompting Seoul to lodge a protest with the defense attaches of both countries. Since 2019, the two countries have sent their military planes into the KADIZ once or twice a year during joint exercises, without prior notice.