South Korea deployed fighter jets on Tuesday in response to a joint air exercise conducted by Russia and China. The move comes as a precautionary measure after several Russian and Chinese aircraft entered the Korea Air Defense Identification Zone (KADIZ).
According to a statement released by the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul, seven Russian and two Chinese aircraft entered the KADIZ around 10:00 AM local time (01:00 GMT). The military clarified that while the aircraft entered the zone, they did not violate South Korean airspace.
“Our military deployed fighter jets to implement tactical measures in preparation for potential contingencies,” the statement read. The KADIZ is a designated area where countries require approaching aircraft to identify themselves, though it is not internationally recognized as sovereign airspace.
South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reported that the Chinese and Russian planes were tracked prior to entering the KADIZ and were observed entering and exiting the zone multiple times before ultimately departing approximately one hour later.
Later, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense confirmed that it conducted joint exercises with the Russian military in accordance with their “annual cooperation plan.” The ministry stated that the drills took place over the East China Sea and the Pacific Ocean and referred to the maneuvers as the “10th joint strategic air patrol.”
The Russian Ministry of Defense added that the exercises lasted for eight hours. They also noted that at certain points during the patrol, “fighter aircraft from foreign countries” shadowed the Russian and Chinese planes. The increasing frequency of these joint exercises raises concerns about regional stability.
DZWatch will continue to monitor this developing situation.
