Russian jets in South Korea's airspace zone trigger response
Russian military aircraft violated South Korea's air defense identification zone. In response, Seoul scrambled its fighter jets.
What do you need to know?
- Russian military aircraft entered South Korea's air defense identification zone on Saturday, as confirmed by South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff.
- There was no violation of South Korea's airspace, and the incident occurred during exercises, according to the Yonhap agency.
- Similar incidents have occurred in the past, including in November 2024 when Chinese and Russian aircraft entered the identification zone.
Why did Russian aircraft enter the zone?
Russian military aircraft entered South Korea's air defense identification zone, prompting an immediate response from Seoul. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff announced that fighter jets were scrambled in response.
The Yonhap agency cited a statement emphasizing that there was no violation of the country's airspace.
What were past incidents?
Similar situations have occurred in the past. In November 2024, five Chinese and six Russian military aircraft entered the identification zone without prior notice. At that time, the authorities in Seoul also scrambled fighter jets and lodged a diplomatic protest.
An air defense identification zone is not national airspace, but the South Korean authorities require aircraft entering it to provide prior notification.
What does the air defense identification zone mean?
Although no international treaty defines the air defense identification zone, it plays an important role in monitoring air traffic. The South Korean authorities expect aircraft entering this zone to notify them in advance.
According to a statement from the Joint Chiefs of Staff, reported by the Yonhap agency, there is no indication that Russian aircraft intended to breach South Korea's airspace.
