Overview
- About 10 U.S. F-16s flying from Osan entered the area between overlapping South Korean and Chinese ADIZs, prompting Chinese fighters to scramble in a brief standoff with no clash reported.
- USFK said Gen. Xavier Brunson told Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back that notification had been provided and expressed regret that senior South Korean leaders were not briefed in time.
- Seoul lodged a complaint over the limited briefing yet publicly rejected talk of a rift and reaffirmed commitment to the U.S.-ROK alliance and trilateral cooperation.
- Yonhap reported the U.S. ended the Yellow Sea training two days earlier than planned following the encounter.
- A joint press briefing on the upcoming Freedom Shield drills was postponed as talks continue on scaling back field training and spreading events through the year, with U.S. officials citing logistical and budget constraints to late changes.