Published on 6/27/2026
South Korea announced today, Saturday, that it had detected more than 10 Chinese and Russian warplanes in its air defense zone, prompting it to deploy Air Force fighters as a precautionary measure.
The South Korean News Agency quoted a statement by the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul that Chinese and Russian aircraft entered and then left the Korean Air Defense Identification Zone (Cadiz) over the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea.
But the statement made clear that the Chinese and Russian aircraft – which reportedly included bombers and fighter jets – did not violate South Korea’s airspace.
On the other hand, neither China nor Russia has commented on the incident so far.
The air defense identification zone does not fall under South Korea’s sovereignty, but it is considered a buffer zone Military aircraft are expected to notify the country concerned before entering, although this notification is not legally binding.
This is not the first time that Seoul has monitored Russian and Chinese fighters in the Korean Air Defense Identification Zone, as 9 Chinese and Russian military aircraft had previously entered the region’s airspace in December 2025.
Both South Korea and Japan strongly protested this incident, with the South Korean Ministry of Defense submitting a protest to Beijing and Moscow, and Japan expressing its “deep concern” about its national security.
On the other hand, China and Russia explained at the time that those planes flew as part of a joint patrol over the East Sea and the Western Pacific Ocean.
Since 2019, Russia and China have been sending military aircraft to the Korean Air Defense Identification Zone once or twice a year during joint exercises, without receiving any prior notice.
