- Joined
- Mar 11, 2013
- Messages
- 15,709
- Points
- 113
South Korea Scrambles Fighter Jets After 7 Russian, 2 Chinese Warplanes Breach Korea Air Defence Identification Zone
South Korea said on Tuesday that seven Russian and two Chinese military aircraft breached its Korea Air Defence Identification Zone (KADIZ) without prior notice, prompting the immediate deployment of South Korean fighter jets.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that the planes entered the zone around 10 a.m. local time (0100 GMT). None crossed into South Korea’s sovereign airspace.
Seoul said it scrambled fighter jets “to take tactical measures in preparation for any contingencies” after detecting the aircraft while they were still approaching the zone.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the nine planes remained within the KADIZ for roughly an hour, repeatedly entering and exiting before departing the area.
The KADIZ is a buffer zone beyond a country’s territorial airspace where nations monitor aircraft for security purposes.
China’s defence ministry later confirmed the incident was part of pre-planned joint drills with Russia, describing the flight as their “10th joint strategic air patrol” and stating the exercises were conducted over the East China Sea and western Pacific in line with “annual cooperation plans”.
Such unannounced incursions by Chinese and Russian aircraft into the KADIZ have become frequent since 2019. A similar event involving five Chinese and six Russian planes forced Seoul to scramble jets in November last year.
Previous incidents were recorded in June and December 2023, and in May and November 2022.
Military ties between Beijing and Moscow have deepened sharply since Russia invaded Ukraine nearly four years ago. Both countries remain close allies of North Korea, South Korea’s primary adversary.
