South Korea deployed fighters on Friday (November 19) in response to the brief intrusion of Russian and Chinese planes carrying out joint exercises in its air defense zone, the South Korean military high command said.
In a statement, the Committee of Joint Chiefs of Staff, however, clarified that it was not "
an intrusion into the airspace
" of the country.
"
Our soldiers received a response from the Chinese side for whom it was (...) normal training
," said the statement, which specifies that the planes were carrying out a joint Russian-Chinese exercise and flew in the area about ten minutes.
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South Korea has launched F-15 and F-16 fighters as well as a tanker aircraft, a "
normal tactical measure
" according to the Committee.
The incursion took place northeast of the disputed islands of Dokdo, which are claimed as Takeshima by Tokyo.
Air defense identification zones are areas outside the airspace of a country in which all aircraft must nevertheless identify themselves to local authorities.
In 2019, South Korean fighters had already fired nearly 400 warning shots and Japan complained to Moscow after the intrusion of a Russian reconnaissance plane near Dokdo.
Russia replied that it did not recognize the air defense identification zones.