Chinese, Russian Aircraft Enter S.Korean Air Defense Identification Zone

Multiple Chinese and Russian reportedly entered South Korea's air defense identification zone (KADIZ) without notice on Tuesday, prompting the Air Force to scramble fighters to the scene, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.

The air defense zone is not territorial airspace, but is delineated to call on foreign planes to identify themselves so as to prevent accidental clashes.

The foreign aircraft did not violate South Korea's territorial air, JCS said.

At 7:56 a.m., two Chinese H-6 bombers entered the KADIZ from an area 126km northwest of Ieodo, a submerged rock south of the southern island of Jeju, according to the JCS. They moved toward the East Sea and exited the zone at around 9:33 a.m. These warplanes were joined by two other Chinese aircraft and four Russian ones including two TU-95 bombers. The warplanes entered the KADIZ together at 9:58 a.m. They then left the zone at 10:15 a.m, Yonhap News Agency reported.

At around 3:40 p.m., four Chinese and two Russian military aircraft were spotted flying in an area some 267 km southeast of Ieodo -- outside the KADIZ -- the JCS said.

The planes' entry into the KADIZ came as South Korea is pushing to strengthen its alliance with the U.S. while joining the international condemnation of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It also coincided with the last day of U.S. President Joe Biden's five-day Asia swing that took him to South Korea and Japan.

During his trip to Tokyo this week, Biden launched the U.S.-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and attended the Quad security forum in an apparent move to rally U.S. allies and partners to counter an assertive China.