On November 29, 2024, South Korean military officials stated that when five Chinese military aircraft and six Russian military aircraft flew through South Korea’s Air Defense Identification Zone (KADIZ), South Korea promptly dispatched fighter jets to respond.
According to CBS News, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that from 9:35 a.m. local time (12:35 a.m. GMT) to 1:53 p.m., five Chinese and six Russian military aircraft entered and exited the East Sea and South Sea within South Korea’s Air Defense Identification Zone.
The Air Defense Identification Zone is a broader area than national airspace, in which countries control aircraft activities for security reasons. However, this concept is not explicitly defined in any international treaties.
The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff noted that these aircraft “did not infringe on South Korean airspace,” and South Korean forces “had identified them before they entered KADIZ, and deployed Air Force fighter jets to take tactical measures in response to any potential contingencies.”
The Chinese Ministry of National Defense stated that this flight was the “ninth joint strategic cruise” between China and Russia, taking place in the airspace over the Sea of Japan (referred to as the East Sea in South Korea).
South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense expressed “regret” on Friday about the Chinese and Russian military aircraft entering South Korea’s Air Defense Identification Zone and flying for a long time without prior notification.
In its statement, the Ministry of National Defense requested “appropriate measures to prevent recurrence” and added that such actions could “unnecessarily intensify regional tensions.”