Key facts
- Nearly 10 Chinese and Russian military aircraft briefly entered South Korea's air defense identification zone (KADIZ).
- The aircraft entered and exited South Korean airspace without violating it.
- The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) confirmed the incident.
- South Korea dispatched Air Force fighter jets in response.
- The entry is believed to be linked to joint air drills between China and Russia.
Nearly 10 Chinese and Russian military aircraft briefly entered South Korea's air defense identification zone (KADIZ) above the country's eastern and southern waters, the South Korean military announced on Saturday. The aircraft, reportedly including bombers and fighter jets, entered the KADIZ successively before retreating, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The JCS stated that the aircraft did not violate South Korean airspace. South Korean military detected the planes before they entered the zone and dispatched Air Force fighter jets to prepare for potential contingencies. The air defense zone is not territorial airspace but is designated for foreign planes to identify themselves to prevent accidental clashes. A JCS official suggested the entry likely occurred during joint air drills between China and Russia. This incident follows a similar event in December last year when nine military planes from China and Russia entered the KADIZ, prompting Seoul to protest to the defense attaches of both nations. Since 2019, China and Russia have sent military planes into the KADIZ once or twice annually during joint exercises without prior notification.