Seoul: Nearly 10 Chinese and Russian military aircraft briefly entered and left South Korea's air defense identification zone (KADIZ) above the country's eastern and southern waters, South Korea's military reported Saturday. The incident involved military aircraft from both countries entering the KADIZ earlier in the day before exiting the area, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

According to Yonhap News Agency, the aircraft, which included bombers and fighter jets, did not intrude into South Korea's airspace. The JCS stated that the South Korean military detected the aircraft before their entry into the air defense zone and dispatched Air Force fighter jets to prepare for any potential contingencies.

The KADIZ is an area established to prompt foreign planes to identify themselves to prevent accidental clashes, as it is not considered territorial airspace. The brief incursion is believed to have taken place during joint air drills between China and Russia, as noted by a JCS official.

This event follows a similar incident in December of the previous year when nine military planes from China and Russia entered the KADIZ, leading Seoul to issue a protest to the defense attaches of both nations. Since 2019, China and Russia have conducted joint exercises, with their military planes entering the KADIZ once or twice annually without prior notification.