DHAKA: South Korea on Sunday said it plans to expand its air defence zone to cover also two territorial islands and a rock reef, thereby partially overlapping a similar zone claimed by China last month in a move that sharply raised regional tensions.

Beijing’s declaration of an air defence identification zone in an area that includes islands at the heart of a territorial dispute with Japan has triggered protests from the United States and its close allies Japan and South Korea.

Announcing the expansion of its own zone to include two territorial islands to the south and a submerged rock also claimed by China, South Korea’s defence ministry said the move would not infringe on neighbouring countries’ sovereignty.

‘We believe this will not significantly impact our relationships with China and with Japan as we try to work for peace and cooperation in Northeast Asia,’ defence ministry head of policy Jang Hyuk told a briefing, reports france24.com.

BDST: 1532 HRS, DEC 08, 2013