Chinese, Russian military aircraft enter South Korean air defence zone

Nearly 10 Chinese and Russian military aircraft briefly entered South Korea's Air Defence Identification Zone (KADIZ) over the country's eastern and southern waters on June 27, prompting Seoul to scramble Air Force fighter jets, South Korea's military said.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said the aircraft did not violate South Korea's territorial airspace and left the identification zone shortly after entering it. The military detected the aircraft before they entered the KADIZ and deployed fighter jets to prepare for any potential contingencies, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

A JCS official said the incident appeared to have occurred during joint air drills conducted by China and Russia.

An air defence identification zone is not sovereign airspace but a designated area where aircraft are requested to identify themselves to reduce the risk of accidental military confrontations.

By Sabina Mammadli