Nearly 10 Chinese, Russian military aircraft briefly enter South Korea's air defence zone: JCS
Seoul, June 27
Nearly 10 Chinese and Russian military aircraft briefly entered and left South Korea's Air Defence Identification Zone 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 defence 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, Yonhap news agency reported.
The South Korean military detected the aircraft before they entered the air defence zone, and dispatched Air Force fighter jets to prepare for any possible contingencies, it added.
The air defence 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.
Beijing's defence ministry later said Chinese and Russian forces conducted their 11th joint strategic aerial patrol, which it claimed was conducted to show their resolve to safeguard regional peace and stability.
It marks the latest such incident after two Chinese military planes and seven Russian aircraft briefly entered and left the KADIZ in December last year, prompting the military to dispatch Air Force fighter jets in preparation for a possible accidental situation.
Lee Kwang-suk, director general of the ministry's international policy bureau, "sternly" protested their aircraft's entry into South Korea's air defence zone, according to the ministry.
"Our military will actively respond to aircraft activities from neighbouring countries in the KADIZ in compliance with international law," the ministry said in December.
The aircraft did not violate South Korea's airspace, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Russia has denied recognising the air defence zone drawn up by South Korea, claiming it was not grounded in international law. The airspace above Ieodo, a submerged rock south of Jeju Island, where Chinese aircraft entered the previous day, is a point of dispute between Seoul and Beijing with their overlapping air defence zones.
Since 2019, the two countries have sent their military planes into the KADIZ once or twice a year during joint exercises, without prior notice.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The KADIZ is not territorial airspace - it's just a self-declared zone for identification purposes. So technically, they didn't violate any international law. But still, the timing of these joint patrols right after the South China Sea tensions is concerning. India must stay vigilant in our own IOR region.
I understand the strategic aspect but this seems a bit provocative. If any foreign aircraft entered India's ADIZ without notice, we'd also be scrambling our jets. South Korea's response is proportionate. The real question is whether this becomes a regular occurrence or just another exercise.
Interesting how China says it's for "regional peace and stability" but entering another country's ADIZ without notice doesn't feel very peaceful to me. 😏 India should strengthen our own ADIZ protocols and maybe coordinate more with Quad partners on such issues. Better safe than sorry.
Seoul's objection is valid but let's be real - these are joint drills that happen regularly. Russia doesn't even recognise KADIZ as per international law. The diplomatic protest is more for domestic consumption. Meanwhile, India should focus on our own military modernisation to handle such situations if they ever arise near Andamans.
All these incidents show why India's "Act East" policy should include better air defence coordination with ASEAN and East Asian nations. We can't be passive observers when our neighbours' air defence zones are being tested like this. The Indian Air Force should be prepared for similar scenarios. 🛡️
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.