A Russian warplane flies over the Hmeimim air base, in Latakia, Syria, March 13. Reuters-Yonhap

Multiple Russian warplanes entered Korea's air defense identification zone (KADIZ) in the East Sea, Saturday, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said, prompting the South to send up fighter jets in response.

The Russian military planes consecutively entered the KADIZ at around 9:20 a.m. before exiting to the eastern and northern areas of the air defense zone, the JCS said in a notice.

They did not violate Korea's airspace, it added.

The JCS said it had detected the Russian aircraft before their entry into the KADIZ and dispatched Air Force jets to the scene to respond to the situation.

The entry was found to have occurred during training, the military said, adding they did not have an intention to violate airspace.

The air defense zone is not territorial airspace but is delineated to call on foreign planes to identify themselves so as to prevent accidental clashes. (Yonhap)