Warning shots have been fired after a Russian military aircraft violated South Korea's airspace.

Officials in Seoul said three warplanes had initially violated the South's aerial identification zone off its east coast.

One of the bombers then entered the country's territorial sky in an "unprecedented" act.

Fighter jets were scrambled to the area to fire warning shots.

Although the warplane left the area following Tuesday's incident, it later returned to South Korean airspace - and further warning shots were fired.


South Korea's top security adviser Chung Eui-yong urged Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of the Security Council of Russia, to assess the incident and take appropriate action, South Korea's presidential office said.

"We take a very grave view of this situation and, if it is repeated, we will take even stronger action," Mr Chung said, according to South Korea's presidential office.

Russia's defence ministry denies its strategic bombers had violated South Korean air space and accused South Korean jets of carrying out dangerous manoeuvres that threatened its aircraft, according to the the RIA news agency.