Chinese, Russian military aircraft enter South Korea's air defense zone
Quick Look
- South Korea's military reported that nearly 10 Chinese and Russian military aircraft briefly entered and exited the country's air defense identification zone (KADIZ) above its eastern and southern waters on Saturday.
- The aircraft, including bombers and fighter jets, did not violate South Korean airspace.
- This incident is believed to have occurred during joint air drills between China and Russia, marking the latest in a series of similar incursions since 2019.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
South Korea's military detected Chinese and Russian military aircraft entering its air defense identification zone (KADIZ) above the eastern and southern waters. The aircraft did not violate territorial airspace but prompted the dispatch of fighter jets.
By Kim Hyun-soo
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.
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.
Open Questions
- What was the specific nature of the joint air drills?
- What was the exact duration of the aircraft's presence in the KADIZ?
