The Republic of Korea Air Force said Tuesday that it scrambled fighter jets in response to Russian and Chinese military aircraft approaching South Korea.
The force said four Russian and four Chinese military aircraft entered the South Korean Air Defense Identification Zone in the south and east of the peninsula.
An air defense zone is an area where countries demand that foreign aircraft take special steps to identify themselves. Unlike a country’s airspace – the air above its territory and territorial waters – there are no international rules governing air defense zones.
The Russian and Chinese planes did not violate South Korea’s airspace before exiting the area, the military said.
China and Russia conducted a joint air patrol on Tuesday over the Sea of Japan and East China Sea for the sixth time since 2019. China’s defense ministry said the patrol was part of the two militaries’ annual cooperation plan.