ISTANBUL

South Korea on Wednesday lodged a protest with China and Russia after military jets from Moscow and Beijing briefly entered Seoul’s air defense identification zone (KADIZ).

Two Chinese military planes and seven Russian aircraft on Tuesday briefly entered and exited the KADIZ above waters east and south of the country, prompting the South Korean military to dispatch fighter jets.

Lee Kwang-suk, director general of the Defense Ministry's international policy bureau, "sternly" protested the aircraft's entry into South Korea's air defense zone, according to Yonhap News.

"Our military will actively respond to aircraft activities from neighboring countries in the KADIZ in compliance with international law," the ministry said in a statement.

The aircraft did not violate South Korea's airspace, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Regarding the joint air patrol by China and Russia, the Chinese Defense Ministry said the drills demonstrated the “resolve and capability” of the two air forces to address “regional security challenges and safeguard peace and stability.”

Ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang said the “joint strategic air patrol over the East China Sea and the western Pacific was the 10th such mission between the two militaries and was carried out under the annual cooperation plan,” according to Xinhua News.

On Tuesday, Japan said it also scrambled its fighter jets in response to the patrol near Japanese territory, though the Chinese and Russian aircraft did not enter Japan’s airspace.