Ministry of National Defense Lodges Stern Protest Over Chinese and Russian Military Aircraft Entering KADIZ

The Ministry of National Defense announced on December 10 that it had lodged a stern protest with the Chinese and Russian defense attach?s in South Korea regarding the unauthorized entry of Chinese and Russian military aircraft into the Korea Air Defense Identification Zone (KADIZ).

On this day, the Ministry of National Defense stated in a press notice that Lee Kwangseok, Director General for International Policy at the Ministry of National Defense, had protested through diplomatic channels. The ministry added, "Our military will actively respond to the activities of neighboring countries' aircraft in the KADIZ while complying with international law."

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on the previous day, seven Russian military aircraft and two Chinese military aircraft entered and then exited the KADIZ over the East Sea and South Sea in sequence. However, there was no violation of South Korean airspace. In response to the entry of these military aircraft into the KADIZ without prior notification, the Air Force also deployed fighter jets.

It is an international practice for military aircraft entering another country's air defense identification zone to submit a flight plan in advance and to notify the country of their position and other details upon entry. However, Russia does not recognize South Korea's control over the KADIZ, claiming that the KADIZ established by South Korea has no basis in international law.