Seoul, Tokyo deploy fighter jets in response to Chinese and Russian warplanes
Seoul/Tokyo, Nov 30 (EFE).- Multiple Chinese and Russian warplanes entered South Korea’s Air Defense Identification Zone (KADIZ) without notice, forcing the precautionary deployment of combat planes, South Korean and Japanese military authorities reported Wednesday.
Russian and Chinese planes have been detected in the area previously, although they did not intrude in South Korean or Japanese airspace.
The KADIZ is a perimeter that determines whether the Air Force must be deployed or not when foreign aircrafts enter without prior notice.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a statement that, in total, 2 Chinese bombers and 6 Russian aircrafts invaded the KADIZ at different areas and times.
First, intrusion by two Chinese H-6 bombers was reported, the first entering around 5.48 am on Tuesday, about 126 kilometres from the Socotra Rock.
The Rock remains submerged somewhere between the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea, whose sovereignty is reclaimed by both Seoul and Beijing, causing their respective ADIZs to overlap.
Subsequently, the two H-6 bombers entered the KADIZ once again around 6.44 am (21.44 GMT) from the northeast of the port city of Pohang, approximately 275 kilometers southeast of Seoul, and stayed in the area for about fifteen minutes.
Eventually, the bombers and Russian aircrafts (4 TU-95 bombers and 2 SU-35 fighters) reentered the KADIZ through the eastern border, around 200 kilometers northeast of the Ulleung Island at around 12.18 pm (3.18 GMT) and stayed in the area for a little less that twenty minutes.
Japan’s Ministry of Defense reported that the Chinese H-6 bombers flew over Tsushima, originating from the East China Sea to the south of Japan, and went towards Japan’s airspace over the Sea of Japan on Friday before heading north.
The two aircrafts which are Russian according to Tokyo, reportedly followed a similar path.
Japanese authorities said they were trying to figure out the motives behind these recent maneuvers in its territory.
In recent months, Japan’s army has reported an increase in China’s air and water intrusions in its territory, sometimes accompanied by Russian planes and ships.
A similar incident occurred on May 24, when 6 Chinese and Russian bombers were detected near Japan and South Korea’s airspaces. Tokyo and Seoul responded in a similar manner by mobilizing their aircrafts. EFE
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