South Korea deployed fighter jets after seven Russian and two Chinese military planes entered its air defence identification zone on Tuesday.
SEOUL: South Korea scrambled fighter jets on Tuesday after seven Russian and two Chinese military aircraft entered its air defence identification zone.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff said the planes entered the Korea Air Defence Identification Zone (KADIZ) around 10 am local time.
Seoul deployed “fighter jets to take tactical measures in preparation for any contingencies” in response.
None of the aircraft violated South Korean airspace. The military said the planes flew in and out of the zone for an hour before leaving.
The aircraft were spotted before they entered the zone, which is a broader area policed for security but does not constitute sovereign airspace.
China and Russia have regularly flown military planes into the zone without prior notice since 2019, citing joint exercises.
Similar incidents occurred in November last year, and in June and December 2023.
Beijing and Moscow have previously described such flights as “joint strategic air patrols”.
China and Russia have expanded military ties since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine nearly four years ago.
Both nations are also traditional allies of North Korea, Seoul’s arch-foe.
