Seoul: Nearly 10 Chinese and Russian military aircraft briefly entered and then exited South Korea's air defense identification zone (KADIZ) over the eastern and southern waters of the country, as reported by South Korea's military on Saturday. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) confirmed the aircraft, which included bombers and fighter jets, did not breach South Korea's airspace.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the JCS noted that the aircraft entered the KADIZ earlier in the day and subsequently left the air defense zone. The South Korean military had detected the aircraft in advance and dispatched Air Force fighter jets to prepare for potential contingencies.

The KADIZ is not considered territorial airspace, but serves as a zone where foreign planes are required to identify themselves to prevent accidental conflicts. A JCS official suggested that the brief entry of the aircraft likely occurred during joint air drills between China and Russia.

Beijing's defense ministry later announced that Chinese and Russian forces conducted their 11th joint strategic aerial patrol, claiming it demonstrated their commitment to preserving regional peace and stability. This incident follows a similar event in December last year when nine military aircraft from China and Russia entered the KADIZ, leading South Korea to file a protest with the defense attaches of both nations.

Since 2019, China and Russia have sent their military aircraft into the KADIZ once or twice annually during joint exercises, typically without prior notification.