Suspense is building after news that Japan plans to send a research vessel into Korean waters near Dokdo in the East Sea for what it claims is a hydrographical survey. The plan has Japan sending the research vessel into Korea¡¯s exclusive economic zone (EEZ); Japanese territorial designs on Dokdo have stood in the way of the countries¡¯ reaching agreement on their respective EEZ in the East Sea.
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Dokdo from above
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Diplomatic sources in Seoul and Tokyo said since Japan told an international maritime agency it will start the survey on April 14, the vessel is likely to arrive in the sensitive area this week. If Japan goes ahead with the plan, the resulting conflict between the two nations could send the bilateral relationship into the worst crisis since the 1965 Korea-Japan Treaty led to the resumption of diplomatic ties.
A meeting of the Foreign Ministry and other related ministries on Monday produced a set of ad-hoc guidelines for any incursion. The plan is to prevent the vessel from, entering Korea¡¯s EEZ, and, if it does enter, to take all legal measures including seizure. The UN convention on the law of the sea says that when a country violates another country¡¯s EEZ without consent, the latter is entitled to stop, search and seize the vessel.
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A protestor holds a banner denouncing Japan¡¯s plan to send a research vessel into Korea¡¯s exclusive economic zone near Dokdo in the East Sea, in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul on Monday. The banner reads, ¡®Dokdo is Korean Territory.¡¯/Yonhap
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A Japanese Foreign Ministry official told the Chosun Ilbo by phone the time to conduct the survey ¡°and other matters¡± have not yet been determined. ¡°I think it¡¯s possible from a commonsense point of view that we may notify Seoul of the survey before we actually carry it out,¡± the official added. But an official with Japanese maritime authorities insisted if Seoul seizes a vessel of the Japanese government or searches the ship, ¡°it would definitely violate international law.¡±
Tokyo claims the area to be surveyed is in its own EEZ, a claim that would only hold good if Dokdo were on the Japanese side of the line.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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