China's steel towers in PMZ raise 'South China Sea 2.0' question: ex-top US envoy
Harry Harris, a former commander of the US Pacific Command, made the remark, denouncing Beijing for its recent actions in the Provisional Maritime Zone, an area in the Yellow Sea where the exclusive economic zones of South Korea and China overlap.
China has built three steel towers in the PMZ over the past several years, claiming that they are fish farms and a management facility, sparking concerns in South Korea over its unilateral actions despite a bilateral agreement on the PMZ signed by the two countries to ensure maritime stability.
"China turns its attention to the West Sea to encroach into the PMZ, disregarding the 2001 agreement between Beijing and Seoul," Harris said during a session of the Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity, referring to the Yellow Sea as the West Sea.
"Washington-based website 1945 rightly asks, 'If we are seeing South China Sea 2.0,'" he said, quoting an article from the publication.
Harris' remarks are seen as suggesting that China's true intention behind the tower installations is to lay the groundwork for territorial claims to the waters -- similar to what it has done by building artificial islands in the South China Sea, where it has ongoing disputes with neighboring countries.
Given this situation, Harris said diplomacy and maritime cooperation have become more vital than ever.
On North Korea, Harris said the recent developments in inter-Korean ties, with the North's leader Kim Jong-un having severed all ties with the South and labeling it an enemy state, speaks to the view that the regime will not give up its nuclear weapons.
"Why am I not surprised? None of this sounds to me like he's trying to get rid of his nuclear ambitions anytime soon. In fact, he's telling us precisely the opposite by his declarations and actions," Harris said.
While he still hopes for diplomacy to work out with the North, Harris said hope alone cannot be an effective course of action when dealing with Pyongyang.
"The quest for dialogue with the North must never be made at the expense of the ability to respond to threats. Dialogue with military readiness must go hand in hand," he said. (Yonhap)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Korea Herald
3 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Indian, Korean FMs vow to boost ties
The foreign ministers of South Korea and India on Saturday pledged to boost bilateral ties, reaffirming the Special Strategic Partnership in emerging industries. India and South Korea elevated diplomatic ties to a "special strategic partnership" in 2015. Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar hosted his Korean counterpart, Cho Hyun, during his first official visit to India since assuming office. The two discussed political, security, economic and cultural cooperation, and agreed to pursue ambitious goals in AI, semiconductors, clean energy, shipbuilding and defense, while underscoring people-to-people exchanges. 'It's not very often that you have a chance to welcome an old friend as a new colleague,' Jaishankar said, recalling his earlier interactions with Cho as the Korean Ambassador to India. Cho served as the Korean Ambassador to India from 2015 to 2017. 'We can do many more things in the future like joint movie making,' Cho told Asian News International in an interview. 'But more importantly, Korean young people are fascinated by the long history of Indian culture and vice versa,' said Cho. 'Now I see even more good changes that have been made during the past 10 years,' recalled Cho, applauding India's transformation under Prime Minister Modi. Jaishankar congratulated Cho on his appointment as foreign minister, remarking, 'You have been barely a month in the job, the fact that you are here literally a day after your (country's) National Day, and our National Day, says a lot really about the value we attach to the relationship." Cho also affirmed the cultural bonds between the two countries, noting the growing fascination of Korean youth with India's rich heritage and the rising popularity of Korean culture among young Indians. Cho also expressed solidarity with India following the April terrorist attack in Pahalgam, condemning the incident in strong terms, according to ANI. 'We are very stern and firm on this issue. We are strongly against any terrorist attack. We stand by the Indian government and the people of India,' he said in the interview. Jaishankar thanked Seoul for its stance, noting that an Indian parliamentary delegation visiting South Korea soon after the attack received 'very good meetings' in Seoul. The visit coincides with the 10th anniversary of the India-ROK Special Strategic Partnership, which both ministers pledged to elevate as they navigate geopolitical and geo-economic challenges together. In July 2025, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's special envoy, led by former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, delivered a personal letter to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reaffirming Lee's commitment to strengthening the special strategic partnership. Modi expressed hope that President Lee would visit India. South Korea aims to advance its New Southern Policy and strengthen its Special Strategic Partnership with India, focusing on diplomatic diversification, high-level exchanges and expanded cooperation. The two countries also discussed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations, economic security, supply chains, core technologies and defense collaboration. India has perceived the trade deficit under the trade deal to have more than tripled over the past decade, making India-Korea negotiations challenging. Bilateral talks have been ongoing to finalize proposals for many years. Cho also sought India's support for South Korean companies and exchanged views on regional and global issues, including the Korean Peninsula, said the Foreign Ministry in a press release on Saturday. sanjaykumar@
Korea Herald
4 hours ago
- Korea Herald
6 surviving ex-N. Korean soldiers, spies in S. Korea seek repatriation
Six former North Korean soldiers and spies who were jailed in South Korea for refusing to renounce their socialist beliefs have asked the Seoul government to repatriate them to the North, officials said Tuesday. Yang Won-jin, 96, Ahn Hak-sop, 95, and four others have recently submitted the formal request to the unification ministry, seeking to return to North Korea, a ministry official said. Known as "unconverted" long-term prisoners, they are former North Korean soldiers and spies who were arrested in the South before and after the 1950-53 Korean War, an ideologically driven conflict that left the Korean Peninsula divided into the communist North and the democratic South. Many others have died of old age or illness, still wishing to return home. They served decades in South Korean prisons for refusing to denounce their socialist beliefs at a time when South Korea was still under threat from communist ideology and have since remained unconverted. Holding a press conference the previous day, a civic group advocating Ahn's repatriation argued that he should be sent home under the Geneva Conventions mandating humanitarian treatment in war and called on the government to repatriate him across the inter-Korean border. Ahn has also announced plans to cross the border via the inter-Korean truce village of Panmunjom at 10 a.m. Wednesday and has requested support from the government and the United Nations Command for procedures, including notification and transfer to North Korea. A ministry official said that the government is "well aware of the demands" from the unconverted long-term prisoners, but no decision has been made on whether to seek their repatriation. Amid an inter-Korean conciliatory mood under the former President Kim Dae-jung's administration, South Korea repatriated 63 of them to North Korea in late 2000 via Panmunjom. But no further such repatriation has taken place since. (Yonhap)
Korea Herald
4 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Defense industry likely to maintain export momentum amid tensions in Europe, Asia: experts
South Korea's defense industry is expected to continue enjoying strong exports for some time, industry officials said Tuesday, citing continued geopolitical uncertainties and growing demand for deterrence capabilities amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and sprawling tensions in Asia. Such an outlook comes despite international efforts to bring an end to the Ukraine war. "In my personal view, even if there is a cease-fire or peace agreement, I don't think the overall arms buildup in Europe will decrease," an official from a major South Korean defense firm told Yonhap News Agency on condition of anonymity. "We do not export to Ukraine or Russia, but we are monitoring the situation carefully." An official at a different defense company said the firm was also closely monitoring the overall situation, pointing to ongoing shifts in the global security landscape. "We need to look at how the geopolitical landscape is changing. From a business perspective, we will continue to watch these shifts closely and capture new opportunities," the official said, also asking to be unnamed. The official added that his company was continuously "exploring cooperation with major European defense firms." A separate industry source from another firm said the rise in overall global demand for advanced weapons systems may even accelerate. "Personally, I think the global defense market will grow even larger, potentially providing an opportunity for the Korean defense industry," the company official said. She noted that the Ukraine war has made countries "recognize the importance of preserving their own security." "I predict governments will strengthen research and development in areas that can help them prepare for future battlefields, such as those involving unmanned and automated warfare," the official added. South Korea has rapidly expanded its footprint in the global defense market in recent years amid geopolitical risks stemming from the intensifying rivalry between the United States and China, as well as security instability in Europe and the Middle East. According to data compiled by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, the country ranked 10th in global arms exports between 2020 and 2024. Notably, earlier this month, South Korea successfully signed a $6.5 billion deal with Poland to export a second batch of K2 tanks from Hyundai Rotem Co., marking the largest-ever export contract won by a South Korean defense contractor. On his election campaign trail, President Lee Jae Myung pledged to foster defense exports as a major economic driver for the country, promising to turn South Korea into one of the world's top four defense powerhouses during his presidential term if elected. Ahn Sang-nam, head of the defense industry promotion division at the Korea Defense Industry Association, said the sense of insecurity in Europe was unlikely to fade even if the conflict in Ukraine subsides. "In my personal opinion, it will not have a major direct impact on South Korean defense exports. Russia continues to pose a threat not only to Ukraine but to the Baltic region at large, and there is a growing perception that each country needs to take charge of its own security," he said. "Our weapons systems are highly suited for regions that truly need them, so I believe Korea's defense exports will continue their upward momentum for the time being," he added. Such an outlook is backed by strong earnings in the sector. According to industry data, the combined operating profit of the country's top five defense firms -- Hanwha Aerospace Co., LIG Nex1 Co., Korea Aerospace Industries Co., Hanwha Systems Co. and Hyundai Rotem -- surged 161 percent on-year to 2.34 trillion won ($1.69 billion) in the first half of this year, reaching 80 percent of their annual earnings in 2024. In February, Seok Jong-gun, minister of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, anticipated that, including projects rolled over from last year, South Korea is poised to post its largest-ever defense export results in 2025. Despite the overall positive outlook for the sector, Ahn said it was "difficult for the industry to guarantee its success in the following decade," stressing the need to continue investments in the field to generate future growth engines. (Yonhap)
