Nearly 10 Chinese, Russian military aircraft briefly enter Korea's air defense zone: JCS

KADIZ global surveillance long-range radar operation conceptual chart / Courtesy of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration

Nearly 10 Chinese and Russian military aircraft briefly entered and left Korea's air defense identification zone (KADIZ) above the country's eastern and southern waters, Korea's military said Saturday.

The Chinese and Russian military aircraft did not violate Korea's airspace, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), adding that it detected the aircraft before they entered the air defense zone.

The Korean military dispatched Air Force fighter jets to prepare for any possible contingencies.

The air defense zone is not territorial airspace but is delineated to call on foreign planes to identify themselves so as to prevent accidental clashes.

The brief entry appears to have occurred during joint air drills between the two countries, according to a JCS official.