Seoul deploys fighter jets due to the unannounced entry of Russian and Chinese aircraft into its aerial identification zone

The South Korean Air Force carried out emergency takeoffs of fighter jets this Friday due to unnotified entries of six Russian military aircraft and five from the Chinese army in the air defense identification zone (ADIZ) of South Korea, according to the Ministry of National Defense.

According to a statement from the aforementioned Ministry “between 9:35 and 13:53 (00:35-4:53 GMT) five Chinese military aircraft and six Russian military aircraft sequentially entered and left the Korean air defense identification zones (KADIZ) at sea. of the East Sea (the name given to the Sea of ​​Japan in both Koreas) and the South Sea (the name given to the Korea Strait) without airspace violations occurring.

The ADIZ require that the aircraft that access them are identified in advance to prevent crashes or other mishaps and ensure national security.

The intrusion of Chinese and Russian military aircraft occurs on the same day that the Armed Forces of both countries carried out a “joint strategic air patrol” in the Sea of ​​Japan, according to the Chinese Ministry of Defense.

The air patrol is part of “an annual cooperation plan between both armies,” according to a statement from the aforementioned ministry, which did not offer more details about these exercises.