|
The government is tense ahead of the International Hydrographic Organization conference in Monaco next Monday, which is expected to decide the official name of the body of water dividing Korea and Japan. The body is to settle whether a new edition of "Limits of Oceans and Seas," a guide book for map makers around the globe, will use both "East Sea," Korea¡¯s name, and "Sea of Japan." In a closed-door meeting on Thursday, Korean officials reportedly stressed the need to prepare for the worst-case scenario.
 |
|
A map from National Geographic¡¯s 2003 July edition where the body of water dividing Korea and Japan is marked as 'East Sea', accompanied by 'Sea of Japan' in brackets./Chosun Ilbo DB
|
 |
|
¡ß Japan on the offensive
Until recently, Japan has been on the defensive. But days ahead of the conference Tokyo wrote to world-renowned experts on geographical designations asking for their support. In the letter, Japan says the designation "Sea of Japan" was in use before 1929, when the IHO used it for the first time, adding it is irrational to delete a name that is familiar to the international community. Japan is reportedly asking all 78 IHO member countries for support, stressing the fact that it contributes nearly 20 percent to the organization¡¯s budget. It has even hinted it could break away from the IHO if the name "Sea of Japan" is not retained.
¡ß Seoul¡¯s stopgap measure
The Korean government insist on using "East Sea/Sea of Japan" based on a 1974 IHO resolution on using double designations. But in reality, Tokyo¡¯s diplomatic offensives have left Seoul floundering. The Korean government has set up a taskforce at the Foreign Ministry without understanding the magnitude of the issue. In a summit last year, President Roh Moo-hyun suggested to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe calling the East Sea "Sea of Peace." In the battle for hearts and minds, that could damage Seoul¡¯s position since it could be seen as not taking the matter too seriously. "With diplomatic efforts, we got the IHO to accept the idea of deleting the name 'Sea of Japan' 10 years after we first raised the issue,¡± a government official said. ¡°But many countries are now listening to Japan¡¯s arguments thanks to its many contributions to the IHO."
¡ß IHO ¡®neutral¡¯
The biggest variable in the IHO conference will be the Board of Directors and Secretariat, which supported Seoul's position in 2002. Now they have pledged neutrality. Back then, the board was ready to delete "Sea of Japan" at Seoul's suggestion and put the matter up for a vote. But it suspended the vote without explanation a month later. A South Korean government official said this was because Japan used tremendous diplomatic pressure involving the entire Cabinet. This year, the IHO board of Directors instead entrusted a subcommittee that convenes next Wednesday with the matter.
Seoul either wants "Sea of Japan" deleted or at least get the discussion postponed until the next IHO conference in another five years. But a majority of IHO member countries are apparently in favor of reaching a decision on the fourth edition of "Limits of Oceans and Seas" since it has been 50 years since the third edition in 1953. "At the moment, it's hard to predict what scenario will be formulated,¡± a Foreign Ministry official said.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
|
