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South Korea protests to Moscow after Russian aircraft enter its air defense zone

The senior South Korean officer expressed regret that the Russian and Chinese warplanes entered the zone without prior notice

SEOUL, November 29. /TASS/. South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense has lodged a protest with Air Colonel Nikolay Marchenko, Russia’s Military, Air, and Naval Attache, after Russian military aircraft were detected in the air defense identification zone unilaterally established by Seoul.

A high-ranking Defense Ministry official delivered a "strong protest" note to the Chinese and Russian military attaches over "today’s flight conducted by Chinese and Russian aircraft," insisting that measures be taken to prevent a recurrence of similar incidents, the ministry said on its website.

Additionally, the senior South Korean officer expressed regret that the Russian and Chinese warplanes entered the zone without prior notice. This, Seoul argued, could spark tensions. Earlier, the South Korean military said that Air Force fighter jets were mobilized and "tactical measures" were taken after six Russian and five Chinese military aircraft were detected in the country’s air identification zone.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) clarified that the aircraft did not violate the airspace, however. Russian and Chinese warplanes entered the country’s air defense identification zone (KADIZ) between 9:35 a.m. and 1:53 p.m. local time (12:35 a.m. - 04:53 a.m. GMT) on Friday, Yonhap reported. While the Chinese aircraft entered the zone over the East Sea, the Russian planes approached from the northeast over the Sea of Japan. The two groups met south of the easternmost Dokdo islets before leaving the KADIZ, the news agency added.

Moscow has repeatedly pointed out that South Korea unilaterally established its air defense identification zone, which does not impose any legal obligations on other countries. The Republic of Korea insists that other countries notify Seoul when flying through its airspace and typically scrambles warplanes even when no airspace violation is registered.