April 24, 2024

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[THE INVESTOR] Tension between South Korea and China flared up on Jan.10 after Beijing‘s fighter jets entered South Korea’s air defense zone without prior notice amid protests from China over a US missile defense system set to be installed here.

According to the Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, some 10 Chinese military planes -- including bombers -- flew into the Korean air defense identification zone near the southern island of Jeju between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Jan.10. In response, South Korea scrambled a sortie of fighter jets, but no armed conflict occurred.

It was not the first time that Chinese aircrafts entered KADIZ since it was expanded in 2013. This latest action has, however, prompted fresh speculation over China’s motive in light of its clashes with Seoul over its decision to station the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system here.

“We need to conduct further analysis before connecting Beijing’s measure to the current situation,” said a JCS official on the condition of customary anonymity, responding to the question whether the move was related to Korea’s planned installation THAAD. 

Beijing has adopted a series of retaliatory measures against Seoul since it reached an agreement with the US to deploy the THAAD battery here last July. Not only did China impose punitive trade measures against Korean companies, it even banned Korean actors and actresses from appearing on its shows.

Air Defense Identification Zone has been a friction point among Northeast Asian countries who have endured decadeslong territorial disputes. The conflicts have been further exacerbated by China which has become assertive over its territorial claim, prompting protests from neighboring states.   

Particularly, Beijing’s ADIZ in the East China Sea unveiled in 2013 drew protests from Korea, Japan and the US as it includes spaces over the South Korea-controlled Ieodo, a submerged rock located around 150 kilometers southwest of Jeju, as well as a chain of islands controlled by Japan and claimed by China. In response, Korea and Japan have declared their own ADIZs afterwards. South Korea expanded its own KADIZ to cover Ieodo on which it has scientific research facilities.  

Since the ADIZs are not officially recognized airspace, states are not able to exercise sovereign rights over the area as they have on their own airspace. Instead, individual states can issue warnings to other nations who entered the area without prior notice. 

“Under the KADIZ, we are only allowed to detect and track unidentified aircrafts. We are not able to take forcible measure to evict those that intrude on the zone. It is different from what we can do in the airspace,” said the JCS official.

By Yeo Jun-suk jasonyeo@heraldcorp.com)