Seoul, South Korea – South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) announced Tuesday that 11 Russian and Chinese military aircraft entered the Korea Air Defense Identification Zone (KADIZ) that morning. This prompted the South Korean Air Force to scramble fighter jets to respond.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff reported in a text message to journalists that seven Russian and four Chinese military aircraft entered and exited the Combined Air Defense Identification Zone in the East and South Seas, beginning at 10:00 AM.
Identifying and deploying fighters
The Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed that the aircraft did not violate the country’s official airspace. They added, “We identified them before they entered the Combined Air Defense Zone, and we deployed Air Force fighter jets in preparation for any eventuality.”
South Korean authorities explain that an Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) is not part of sovereign airspace. Rather, it is an area designed for the early detection of aircraft movements and to prevent any potential incursions into territorial airspace. Seoul emphasizes that international practice requires advance notification of the flight plan and location when entering another country’s ADIZ.
