Fighters scrambled after Chinese, Russian aircraft enter Kadiz

Chinese and Russian military aircraft entered Korea's air defense identification zone (Kadiz) for about an hour on Tuesday before leaving the area, the Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.

A Chinese J-16 fighter takes part in an air drill on Nov. 30, 2022, as Russian and Chinese strategic bombers conducted a joint patrol over the western Pacific region. [JOONGANG PHOTO]

Chinese and Russian military aircraft entered Korea's air defense identification zone (Kadiz) for about an hour on Tuesday before leaving the area, the Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.

The Korean Air Force immediately scrambled fighter jets to the scene.

The JCS said that the Chinese and Russian military aircraft entered the Kadiz from the southern and eastern direction between 11:52 a.m. and 1:49 p.m. before completely departing the zone. It added that there had been no prior notice from the countries and that the aircraft didn't violate Korea's air space.

While the total time from first entry to last departure spans around two hours, the Chinese and Russian military aircraft actually stayed in the Kadiz for less than an hour as there was a point where they left the zone and reentered, according to military officials.

The Korean military identified the Chinese and Russian planes before they entered the Kadiz and scrambled Air Force fighters as "tactical measures in preparation for any potential contingencies," the JCS added.

This comes amid Memorial Day, and also as North Korea has been forecasting it will be launching another military spy satellite soon.

Earlier Tuesday, the Chinese Defense Ministry announced that it was conducting a joint aerial strategic patrol with Russia's military over the East China Sea and East Sea.

Air defense identification zones, or ADIZ, are unilaterally set by countries, aren't subject to international treaties or agreements and are larger than traditional national air spaces.

It is international practice for military aircraft entering another country's ADIZ to submit a flight plan in advance and notify its location upon entry.

Russia doesn't recognize other countries' ADIZs.

China's ADIZ overlaps Korea's and Japan's at points where the countries have disputes over claims, such as Ieodo, underwater reefs that belong in waters that both Seoul and Beijing claim.

Chinese and Russian military aircraft have entered the Kadiz since 2019, often under the pretext of such joint drills, including in May and November 2022.

In January, two Chinese military aircraft entered the Kadiz southwest of Ieodo before departing.

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]