South Korea has scrambled fighter jets after seven Russian aircraft and two Chinese planes entered its air defense zone, without violating airspace.

On Tuesday, South Korea ordered the urgent mobilization of fighter jets after detecting the presence of seven Russian military aircraft and two Chinese ones in the Air Defense Identification Zone (KADIZ). The aircraft entered this zone around 10:00 local time but did not violate South Korean airspace. The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff stated that tactical measures were taken in response to the presence of these aircraft.

The Air Defense Identification Zone is a broader area than the actual airspace, controlled by a country for security reasons, although it is not defined in international treaties. The Russian and Chinese aircraft were detected before entering KADIZ and exited after about an hour. These incursions have become frequent since 2019, in the context of joint exercises between China and Russia, which have strengthened their military cooperation following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.