By Do Je-hae
Korea's conflict with China over the submerged reef known here as Ieodo has long been overshadowed by the Dokdo dispute with Japan.
Dokdo is widely known within and outside Korea because of Japan's territorial claims to the island. The conflict between Korea and China over Ieodo, however, has not received similar recognition in the press or among the public, despite the significant political and economic value that Korea places on the submerged rock.
Situated about 149 kilometers southwest of Jeju Island, the rock has abundant marine and oil resources, a key reason for China's claim over it. Ieodo, known internationally as Socotra Rock, overlaps the exclusive economic zones of both Korea and China. Beijing refers to the island as Suyan Rock.
China is laying claim to Ieodo and its surrounding waters. In August 2013, a Chinese vessel violated Korean territory near the area, following a similar breach in March of the same year.
In 1951, the Korean Navy discovered the rock after a series of shipwrecks. Seoul built the Ieodo Ocean Research Station in 2003 to collect data on sea currents and meteorological phenomena.
In September 2006, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said China objected to South Korea's "unilateral" activities in the region, referring to Korea's science observation facilities as "illegal."
The Jeju-based Ieodo Research Society is a rare academic establishment that focuses on the Ieodo issue at a time when many Koreans are not even aware of the dispute with China. The institute is led by Koh Choong-suk, a distinguished public administration expert who formerly taught at Jeju National University and served as its president from 2005 and 2011.
Established in 2007, the Society of Ieodo Research has been promoting public awareness of the reef.
Many Koreans are still unaware of Ieodo and its importance. The research center aims to change this through international seminars, publications, and other activities.
Korea's conflict with China over the submerged reef known here as Ieodo has long been overshadowed by the Dokdo dispute with Japan.
Dokdo is widely known within and outside Korea because of Japan's territorial claims to the island. The conflict between Korea and China over Ieodo, however, has not received similar recognition in the press or among the public, despite the significant political and economic value that Korea places on the submerged rock.
Situated about 149 kilometers southwest of Jeju Island, the rock has abundant marine and oil resources, a key reason for China's claim over it. Ieodo, known internationally as Socotra Rock, overlaps the exclusive economic zones of both Korea and China. Beijing refers to the island as Suyan Rock.
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China is laying claim to Ieodo and its surrounding waters. In August 2013, a Chinese vessel violated Korean territory near the area, following a similar breach in March of the same year.
In 1951, the Korean Navy discovered the rock after a series of shipwrecks. Seoul built the Ieodo Ocean Research Station in 2003 to collect data on sea currents and meteorological phenomena.
In September 2006, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said China objected to South Korea's "unilateral" activities in the region, referring to Korea's science observation facilities as "illegal."
The Jeju-based Ieodo Research Society is a rare academic establishment that focuses on the Ieodo issue at a time when many Koreans are not even aware of the dispute with China. The institute is led by Koh Choong-suk, a distinguished public administration expert who formerly taught at Jeju National University and served as its president from 2005 and 2011.
Established in 2007, the Society of Ieodo Research has been promoting public awareness of the reef.
Many Koreans are still unaware of Ieodo and its importance. The research center aims to change this through international seminars, publications, and other activities.
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