The Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Republic of Korea's Armed Forces claim that Russian planes entered the so-called air defense identification zone established by Seoul in the Sea of Japan region, Yonhap news agency reported.
According to it, the planes entered at around 09:20 local time (02:20 Bulgarian time) and left the zone. The country's airspace was not violated. Seoul also admits that the Russian side had no intention of violating the airspace. In response, the South Korean side scrambled its own fighter jets.
According to Moscow, the air defense identification zone was established by Seoul unilaterally and does not create legal obligations for other countries. The Republic of Korea requires notification of aircraft flying in this zone and usually scrambles fighter jets even if its airspace is not violated, the Russians say.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko is visiting North Korea, the official KCTA agency reported, quoted by Reuters and TASS, quoted by BTA.
The KCTA said the diplomat was met at the airport by Russian Ambassador to the DPRK Alexander Matsegora, but no further details were given, except that Rudenko visited a historical monument in the capital Pyongyang.
The visit comes after a US proposal for a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine, where, according to Ukrainian, American and South Korean officials, thousands of North Korean soldiers are stationed.
Rudenko has been involved in developing Russian ties with the DPRK since Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. He was also part of the Russian delegations in the framework of the peace negotiations with Kiev at the beginning of the war.
On December 4 in Moscow, Rudenko met with his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong-gyu, who is responsible for relations with Russia in the North Korean Foreign Ministry. Then the two signed the relevant ratification documents, after which the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty between the two countries, concluded on July 19 in Pyongyang during a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to the DPRK, came into force.
There are over 12,000 North Korean soldiers in Russia fighting against Ukrainian forces in the border Kursk region, Dorothy Shea, then the US deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, told the UN Security Council in January.
US President Donald Trump called on Putin yesterday to spare the Ukrainian troops that Russia is currently pushing out of the Kursk region, an appeal to which the Kremlin boss said he would heed if they surrendered.