Seoul, August 26: South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) reported on Wednesday that several Russian military aircraft entered the country’s Air Defense Identification Zone (KADIZ) over the eastern maritime region on Tuesday. According to the defense department, the aircraft returned shortly after their incursion.
The Yonhap News Agency stated that the JCS issued a statement regarding the incident. It noted that the Russian planes entered KADIZ near South Korea’s easternmost island, Dokdo, and the nearby Ulleungdo island. The South Korean military had already detected the aircraft’s movements and deployed fighter jets to address any potential situations.
However, the South Korean military clarified that the Russian aircraft did not violate the nation’s actual airspace. KADIZ is not a sovereign airspace of any country; rather, it is an area established for foreign aircraft to identify themselves, aimed at preventing accidental air collisions.
This incident comes at a time when there is an emphasis on enhancing military cooperation among the United States, South Korea, and Japan. Recently, the U.S. confirmed preparations for a trilateral military exercise called “Freedom Shield” with South Korea and Japan.
In June, approximately ten Chinese and Russian military aircraft also entered South Korea’s KADIZ before exiting shortly after. Following that incident, Seoul lodged a strong protest against both China and Russia.
Prior to June, in December of last year, nine military aircraft from China and Russia had entered KADIZ. Since 2019, both countries have sent their military aircraft into KADIZ once or twice a year during joint exercises without prior notice.
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