Seoul to bolster stance on maritime disputes

By Kim Young-jin

Amid a spate of territorial disagreements in East Asia, Seoul is working on a law to deal quickly and effectively with disputes over maritime areas under its control, a government official said Thursday.

The official of the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs said on condition of anonymity that the new law being considered intends “to deal with marine territorial disputes in cooperation with the concerned ministries systemically and immediately.” He added, “We are considering the law from all angles.”

The official did not elaborate on details, saying the measure was still under review.

The moves could impact the debate over Dokdo, the country’s easternmost islets also claimed by Japan; as well as Ieodo, a submerged rock controlled by Seoul but also claimed by China.

The remark came after local media reported that Seoul was seeking to strengthen regulations regarding research conducted by foreign vessels in maritime areas under its control.

The reported measures would further clarify the Marine Scientific Research Act, stipulating that foreign vessels conducting research in maritime areas of third countries must obtain permission before entering waters controlled by Seoul.

Those holding dual citizenship, including that of Korea, also need approval, the reports said.

Seoul considers Dokdo part of its territory on a legal and historical basis and rejects Tokyo’s call to bring the case to international arbitration. It sees the issue as tied to Japan’s colonial legacy and urges Tokyo to properly address its past behavior.

The matter of Ieodo hit headlines again this week after China denied reports that it would deploy unmanned drones to monitor the rock, saying the reports were based on the personal opinion of one official. The Chinese side stressed it was not attempting to lay claim to the rocks, officials here said.

Both Seoul and Beijing say the matter is not a territorial dispute, as Ieodo sits 4.6 meters below the surface of the East China Sea. But as China wrangles not only with Japan but Southeast Asian nations, concern is running high that it could ramp up its claims.

Despite the denial, which some speculate intended to stem off anti-Chinese sentiment here, concerns linger over Beijing’s intentions.

Shin Chang-hoon, an expert on international law and conflict resolution at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, said measures such as tightening control of maritime research were inevitable as Korea needs to demonstrate its jurisdiction over its maritime areas to counter claims by neighbors. Negotiations with China may take some time as well, he said.

“China will play strategic games on the delimitation issue,” he said, adding that Beijing may use the debate as a way to influence U.S. influence in the region. “If Korea is too close to the U.S., China could threaten Korea by playing games with Ieodo.”

Ieodo emerged as an issue in 1996 when the international community extended the maximum reach of EEZs to 200 nautical miles, creating overlapping zones between China and Korea. Seoul says that because Ieodo is 136 kilometers closer to the peninsula it should be recognized as within the nation’s maritime boundary.

The countries have held 16 rounds of negotiations over delimitation of the boundaries but have not made headway, prompting some analysts to suggest Beijing is delaying settlement indefinitely.

In March, Liu Cigui, the director of China’s State Oceanic Administration, said Beijing would enhance maritime patrols and enforcement of domestic law over its areas of jurisdiction including Ieodo, prompting President Lee Myung-bak to strongly reiterate Seoul’s stance.

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