By Michael Ha
Staff Reporter

A U.S. government agency in charge of translating foreign data has again started using the ``Sea of Japan" label, less than a month after it first dropped that reference in favor of the ``East Sea" label when describing waters between the two Asian nations.

The U.S. National Virtual Translation Center had started using the term ``East Sea" on its profile page for South Korea, when describing waters between Korea and Japan. The agency's profile page for Korea can be found at www.nvtc.gov/lotw/months/march/Korean.html.

But the agency has reverted to using the term ``Sea of Japan,'' its Web site showed Sunday. Representatives for the U.S. agency could not be immediately reached for comment.

The U.S. National Virtual Translation Center, established 2003, provides translations of foreign intelligence for all elements of the intelligence community, according to the agency's Web site.

michaelha@koreatimes.co.kr