Seoul Says Protested Entry Of Russian, Chinese Jets Into Air Defense Identification Zone

SEOUL (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 07th June, 2023) Seoul has expressed "strong protest" to Russia and China after the two countries' military jets entered its air defense identification zone (KADIZ) without notice and urged them not to repeat such actions in the future, the South Korean Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, four Russian and four Chinese military jets briefly entered South Korean's KADIZ without violating the country's airspace. Nevertheless, Seoul deployed its air force fighters to conduct tactical steps with a view to preventing potential accidental situations, South Korean media reported.

"The defense ministry expressed regret to both countries in connection with the fact that Chinese and Russian military planes entered our air defense identification zone (KADIZ) without any advance notice and flew over ... areas close to our air space. Moreover, we urge appropriate measures to be taken to prevent the repetition of such actions, as they could become a source of tension in the region," the South Korean Defense Ministry said in a statement.

The ministry added that Lee Seung-beom, its director general for internal policy, expressed "strong protest" to Russian and Chinese military attaches in South Korea concerning the issue.

South Korea has already reported entry of Russian jets into the KADIZ on several occasions. Seoul notes that Russia does not violate any international norms as the KADIZ is not a national airspace, but other countries' jets usually inform South Korea before entering the area while Russian ones do not.

In 2021, Russia and South Korea signed a memorandum of understanding that provides for the creation of a hotline between both countries' military. However, following the start of Russia's military operation in Ukraine in February 2022, this initiative was put on hold, Russian Ambassador to Seoul Andrey Kulik said.