Summary
South Korea has complained to China and Russia after their military planes entered South Korea's air defense identification zone. Although the aircraft did not violate South Korea's sovereign airspace, the presence prompted South Korea to send its own jets to be ready for any emergencies. Such incidents have occurred before as China and Russia conduct joint military exercises.
Key Facts
- South Korea complained to China and Russia about military planes entering its air defense zone.
- Seven Russian and two Chinese aircraft briefly entered the zone without entering South Korea’s actual airspace.
- South Korea dispatched fighter jets to monitor the situation.
- An air defense identification zone is an area where countries ask foreign planes to identify themselves, though it's not considered part of national airspace by international law.
- Similar incidents have happened before, including earlier this year and since 2019.
- China and Russia say their activities are part of scheduled joint military exercises.
- Russia does not recognize South Korea’s air defense zone, saying it was set up by South Korea alone.
