Russian military aircraft enter Korea's air defense zone without notice

Several Russian military aircraft entered the Korea Air Defense Identification Zone (Kadiz) over the East Sea without advance notice, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Wednesday. the Korean air force deployed fighter jets as a precaution, though there was no violation of Korea's actual sovereign airspace. 

“Several Russian military aircraft entered the Kadiz over the East Sea on Tuesday and then left,” the JCS said. “There was no violation of Korean airspace.”

“Our military detected the Russian aircraft before they entered Kadiz,” the JCS said. “We deployed Air Force fighter jets and carried out tactical measures in preparation for possible contingencies.”

Countries establish air defense identification zones to identify military aircraft approaching their airspace early enough to respond. An air defense identification zone is not sovereign airspace.

Military aircraft entering another country’s zone are generally expected under international practice to file a flight plan in advance and report their position upon entry. Russia gave Korea no advance notice before Tuesday’s flight.

Russian military aircraft also entered the Kadiz on June 27 as part of a combined air exercise with China. Around 10 Chinese and Russian military aircraft entered the zone over the East Sea and waters off Korea's southern coast in succession before leaving.

BY CHO MUN-GYU [[email protected]]