S.Korea and Japan Clash on the Name of Sea

At a seaside auditorium in Monaco, South Korean and Japan will have a diplomatic discussion about what to call the sea that divides them. At issue is whether the world‘s hydrographers—makers of official nautical maps—continue to call the body of water in question the “Sea of Japan,” as Tokyo would like, or also label it the “East Sea,” as Seoul prefers, WSJ reported on Sunday. South Korea is taking its case to the Riviera with the third-largest delegation after those of the U.S. and the U.K.: 16 history professors, diplomats and maritime officials. The five day meeting will be attended by more than 300 delegates form 80 member states, headed by their chief hydrographers. Their jobs is to ensure their country’s charts and maps are up to date, the Jounal added. The agenda is largely uncontroversial, covering issues such as adjusting nautical-chart standards for electronic display systems. Participants will tour hydrographic surveying vessels from several countries, which have sailed in for the occasion. Both officials from South Korea and Japan admit that their disagreement is more about national pride than security or economic interests. The IHO has called the water the Sea of Japan since 1929 but Korea, arguing that this is a legacy of Japan’s ill fated imperialistic ambitions, wants it to change to East Sea. Tokyo claims the sea has been known as Sea of Japan since the early 17th century, long before Japan colonized Korea in 1910. To make their cases to the IHO, both countries have prepared official brochures—South Korea in eight languages, Japan in six—packed with old maps and historical documents. Each side describes the other‘s argument neatly, in two words: South Korea says Japan’s is “totally untrue”; Japan says Korea‘s is “wholly invalid.” After Seoul announced that its research had found the name “Sea of Korea” was used in 66% of 228 maps it examined at the U.S. Library of Congress, Japanese officials spent four months at the library, uncovering 1,728 maps showing the sea. Japan’s conclusion: “Sea of Japan” was used on 77% of them. 송지영 songsong@ajnews.co.kr