South KoreaÂ’s Ministry of National Defense said the new zone would include two small islands and a submerged rock historically disputed with China.
Air defense identification zones are not territorial claims, but they mark the airspace that countries feel are important to monitor.
The SouthÂ’s decision, widely expected after a week of government discussions, marks the latest move in a regional struggle over airspace above the East China Sea. Officials in Washington and across Asia say the competing aerial zones raise the risk of mishaps that could trigger a broader conflict.
South Korea plans to hold talks with “related countries” in order to “prevent accidental military clashes” within the expanded zone, the defense ministry said in a statement. The South said the zone, known as an ADIZ, would take effect Dec. 15.
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