South Korea claims Chinese, Russian warplanes enter its air defence zone

South Korea deployed fighter jets on Saturday after over 10 Chinese and Russian military aircraft entered its air defence identification zone (ADIZ), prompting the military to take precautionary measures amid heightened regional tensions, Seoul said. "South Korea's military detected the Chinese and Russian aircraft before they entered the zone and deployed Air Force fighter jets to prepare for any contingency," AFP quoted joint chiefs of staff in Seoul as saying. Neither China nor Russia has commented on the incident so far. The latest development follows a similar episode in December 2025, when nine Chinese and Russian military aircraft entered the KADIZ, drawing sharp protests from both South Korea and Japan. Following that incident, South Korea's defence ministry lodged formal protests with Beijing and Moscow, while Japan expressed "serious concern" over the impact on regional security. China and Russia later said those flights were part of a joint strategic air patrol conducted over the East Sea and the western Pacific. Saturday's operation comes amid continued military cooperation between Beijing and Moscow, which have carried out several joint air and naval patrols in the region in recent years.