SEOUL: South Korea deployed fighter jets on Thursday in response to the entry of two Chinese and four Russian military aircraft into its air defence zone, according to South Korea’s military.
The aircraft entered the Korea Air Defence Identification Zone (KADIZ) off its east coast between 11:53 a.m. (0253 GMT) and 12:10 p.m., after which the planes departed the area, as stated by South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).
The aircraft did not breach South Korea’s territorial airspace, the military said.
An Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) is typically an area where countries can unilaterally demand that foreign aircraft take special steps to identify themselves, according to the International Civil Aviation Organization.
That is distinct from a nation’s airspace, which typically extends 12 nautical miles from its coastline. Unlike airspace, there are no internationally recognized laws governing air defence zones.
Moscow does not recognize Korea’s air defence zone. Beijing has asserted that the zone is not territorial airspace and that all countries should enjoy freedom of movement there.
