Combat Aircraft to Russian and Chinese Bombers Enter KADIZ Without Notification, South Korea Sends F-15K Jets

South Korea's F-15 fighter jet. (Wikimedia Commons//Republic of Korea Armed Forces)

JAKARTA - South Korea's Joint Staff Ship (JCS) said the Air Force expelled two Chinese and six Russian warplanes for entering the Korean air defense identification zone (KADIZ) without notification on Wednesday.

The entry of the two countries' aircraft into KADIZ comes as South Korea pushes to strengthen its alliance with the United States amid intensifying Sino-US competition, while maintaining its opposition to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

JCS said the warplanes of the two countries flew over KADIZ, but did not violate Korean airspace, reported the Korea Times, November 30.

At 5:48 a.m., two Chinese H-6 bombers flew into KADIZ from an area 126 kilometers northwest of Ieo Island, a submerged rock south of Jeju's southern island, before leaving KADIZ at 6:13 a.m.

Then, at 6:44 a.m., the bombers re-entered KADIZ from the northeastern port city of Pohang in southern Korea and exited the zone at 7:07 a.m.

Later that evening, six Russian aircraft, four TU-95 bombers and two SU-35 fighters, as well as two Chinese H-6 bombers flew into KADIZ from an area 200 km northeast of South Ulleung Island at 12:18 p.m. and exited the zone at 12:18 p.m. 12:36 p.m.

The two countries appear to have engaged in joint air drills, observers said.

Korean military aircraft, including F-15K jets, were deployed in a tactical move against potential unforeseen situations, according to the JCS.

It is known that the air defense identification zone is not territorial airspace, but is delineated to require foreign aircraft to identify themselves to prevent accidental clashes.