South Korea scrambles jets as Russian, Chinese warplanes enter air defense zone

SEOUL, Nov. 30 (UPI) -- South Korea's air force scrambled fighter jets after two Chinese and six Russian warplanes entered the country's air defense identification zone without notice Wednesday, defense officials said.

The Chinese and Russian planes flew across the Korea Air Defense Identification Zone, or KADIZ, but did not violate South Korean airspace, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a text message sent to reporters.

Two Chinese H-6 bombers first entered the KADIZ at around 5:50 a.m. northwest of Leo Islet and reentered from an area near the southeastern port city of Pohang roughly an hour later, the JCS said.

The bombers were then joined by six Russian planes, including TU-95 bombers and SU-35 fighters, as they flew into the zone over the East Sea shortly after noon. The planes entered around 125 miles northeast of the island of Ulleungdo and flew southeast of Dokdo island, the JCS said.

South Korean officials said that the planes flew in formation and conducted joint exercises, news agency Yonhap reported.

The South's military "implemented tactical measures to prepare for contingencies" and scrambled fighter jets before the Russian and Chinese planes entered the KADIZ, the JCS said.

An air defense identification zone is not part of a country's sovereign airspace, but military planes are expected to identify themselves before entering.