Air Defense Alert: Over 130 Chinese Military Entries into South Korean Airspace This Year

On December 14, 2023, two Chinese military aircraft, including an H-6 bomber, along with four Russian planes, notably a TU-95 bomber and an SU-35 fighter jet, entered the Korea Air Defense Identification Zone (KADIZ) without prior notification before exiting. The aircraft approached from north of Ulleungdo and departed east of Dokdo, remaining within KADIZ for approximately 17 minutes without infringing on South Korean airspace. This incident marks the sixth documented occurrence and the first simultaneous entry of military aircraft from both nations into the East Sea since June of the previous year.

The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that the military identified the Chinese and Russian aircraft before entering KADIZ. In response, South Korea deployed Air Force fighter jets to take tactical measures, including issuing warning broadcasts in anticipation of potential emergencies. The Ministry of Defense expressed strong regret to both China and Russia for their flights in sensitive regions near South Korean airspace.

In response to inquiries, the Chinese Ministry of Defense confirmed that, as part of the annual cooperation plan with Russia, they conducted the seventh joint air strategic patrol in the Sea of Japan (East Sea) and the East China Sea. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated this stance, declaring the joint patrol a routine and lawful activity conducted in international waters. Since 2019, China and Russia have conducted joint air operations around the Korean Peninsula, with an average of one to two instances annually.

Amid escalating threats posed by North Korea’s nuclear and missile capabilities, there has been an uptick in unauthorized joint entries by Chinese and Russian military aircraft into KADIZ. This behavior is not isolated; since 2019, both nations have entered KADIZ without prior notification on multiple occasions. Documented incursions include instances in July 2019, December 2020, November 2021, May 2022, and again in June and December 2023.

Significantly, the frequency of unauthorized entries by Chinese military aircraft into KADIZ has reached alarming levels. Analysts suggest this activity aligns with North Korea’s strategy to cultivate a heightened sense of crisis on the Korean Peninsula.

According to the 2024 National Audit Issue Analysis released by the National Assembly Research Service on the 18th, Chinese military aircraft recorded over 130 entries into KADIZ last year, the highest in the past five years. This figure more than doubles the 60 incursions noted in 2022. The South Korean Air Force conducted over 130 emergency deployments to counter these unauthorized entries by China last year.

Over the past five years, the frequency of Chinese military aircraft entering KADIZ has shown significant variation: 50 entries in 2019, 70 in 2020, 70 in 2021, 60 in 2022, and over 130 in 2023. However, this trend has slowed, with only about 30 entries recorded by early July 2024.

In contrast, Russian military aircraft, which also share airspace with KADIZ, made unauthorized entries only about five times last year—accounting for a mere 4% of China’s total incursions. The disparity is evident: in 2019, Russian aircraft entered KADIZ over 20 times, approximately ten times in both 2020 and 2021, and around 20 times in 2022.

A South Korean military official commented, “The air defense identification zone (ADIZ) is distinct from national airspace. It is customary for military aircraft to provide advance notification before entering another country’s ADIZ; however, China has notably disregarded this protocol. Amid escalating tensions between the U.S. and China and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, it appears that both nations are intensifying military activities around the Korean Peninsula to heighten tensions while simultaneously demonstrating their strategic presence in the Indo-Pacific region.”