South Korea scrambled fighter jets on Dec. 22 after several Chinese warplanes and more than a dozen Russian aircraft entered its air defense zone.
About 15 Russian military jets and four Chinese military planes entered South Korea’s air defense identification zone, officials told the outlet. South Korea said the Chinese military said it was performing routine training before the aircraft entered the zone.
The Chinese planes flew near Ieodo, a submerged rock that serves as a platform for a weather research station. Two planes left the zone via the East Sea, which is located between Japan and South Korea, officials told the newspaper.
The South Korean news agency noted that the air defense identification zone isn’t territorial airspace. However, foreign warplanes are supposed to inform a country before approaching them ahead of time.