Latest news with #KangYoung-shin
The Sun
24-04-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
South Korea expressed concern over Chinese structure in disputed area of sea
SEOUL: South Korea has expressed 'deep concern' over China erecting a sea structure off the west coast of the Korean Peninsula, Seoul's foreign ministry said on Thursday. The South Korean government's concerns were conveyed to Chinese officials during a maritime dialogue between the two countries in Seoul on Wednesday. The Chinese side during the meeting had explained that the structure was fish-farming equipment and had nothing to do with territorial rights, the South Korean foreign ministry said in a statement on Thursday. The structure in a disputed area of the Yellow Sea, known in South Korea as the West Sea, has raised alarm bells in Seoul over concerns China could be seeking to stake claims in the Provisional Maritime Zone, where the countries' exclusive economic zones overlap. Both sides agreed to continue communication and with the understanding that the issue should not hinder bilateral relations, the ministry said. China and South Korea agreed to continue strengthening communication and properly manage maritime differences, according to China's foreign ministry statement. 'Through diplomatic channels at various levels, it was decided to closely discuss the stable management of the maritime order in the West Sea and the expansion and deepening of tangible cooperation,' the South Korean foreign ministry statement said. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul told a parliamentary committee on Wednesday that Seoul was considering its response, including proportional countermeasures. 'The structure is within both Chinese and international law and does not violate the China-South Korea fisheries agreement,' the Chinese embassy in Seoul said in a statement last month. Wednesday's bilateral meeting on maritime cooperation was attended by officials from the foreign ministries of both countries alongside other officials. Kang Young-shin, South Korea's Deputy Director-General for Northeast Asian Affairs, and China's Director-General for Boundary and Ocean Affairs Hong Liang represented each side, according to Seoul's ministry. (Reporting by Joyce Lee and Hyunsu Yim in Seoul; Additional
The Sun
24-04-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Sout Korea concerned over disputed sea area
SEOUL: South Korea has expressed 'deep concern' over China erecting a sea structure off the west coast of the Korean Peninsula, Seoul's foreign ministry said on Thursday. The South Korean government's concerns were conveyed to Chinese officials during a maritime dialogue between the two countries in Seoul on Wednesday. The Chinese side during the meeting had explained that the structure was fish-farming equipment and had nothing to do with territorial rights, the South Korean foreign ministry said in a statement on Thursday. The structure in a disputed area of the Yellow Sea, known in South Korea as the West Sea, has raised alarm bells in Seoul over concerns China could be seeking to stake claims in the Provisional Maritime Zone, where the countries' exclusive economic zones overlap. Both sides agreed to continue communication and with the understanding that the issue should not hinder bilateral relations, the ministry said. China and South Korea agreed to continue strengthening communication and properly manage maritime differences, according to China's foreign ministry statement. 'Through diplomatic channels at various levels, it was decided to closely discuss the stable management of the maritime order in the West Sea and the expansion and deepening of tangible cooperation,' the South Korean foreign ministry statement said. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul told a parliamentary committee on Wednesday that Seoul was considering its response, including proportional countermeasures. 'The structure is within both Chinese and international law and does not violate the China-South Korea fisheries agreement,' the Chinese embassy in Seoul said in a statement last month. Wednesday's bilateral meeting on maritime cooperation was attended by officials from the foreign ministries of both countries alongside other officials. Kang Young-shin, South Korea's Deputy Director-General for Northeast Asian Affairs, and China's Director-General for Boundary and Ocean Affairs Hong Liang represented each side, according to Seoul's ministry. (Reporting by Joyce Lee and Hyunsu Yim in Seoul; Additional
Korea Herald
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Seoul, Beijing at odds over West Sea structures, but vow to keep talking
South Korea and China reaffirmed their differing positions on the contentious issue of Chinese-built structures in their jointly administered West Sea zone during interagency maritime talks, with Seoul expressing 'deep concerns' and Beijing dismissing the stance, the Foreign Ministry in Seoul said Thursday. Despite the friction, the two sides launched a working-level consultative body to address the issue, agreeing not to let the issue hinder the current momentum in advancing bilateral ties after years of strained relations. The announcement came a day after the two held a dialogue on maritime cooperation in Seoul, where they 'engaged in broad discussions on a wide range of maritime issues,' according to the Foreign Ministry in Seoul. The meeting was led by Kang Young-shin, director-general for Northeast and Central Asian affairs at the South Korean Foreign Ministry, and Hong Liang, director-general of the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs at the Chinese Foreign Ministry. The meeting came at a critical juncture, as China's intention to install such structures within the Provisional Measures Zone — a jointly managed area agreed upon by the two countries — raised concerns in Seoul. 'Director-General Kang conveyed the Korean government's deep concerns over the Chinese-built structures in the West Sea and emphasized the stance that Korea's legitimate and lawful maritime rights and interests must not be infringed upon," the Foreign Ministry in Seoul said in a press statement. 'The Chinese side explained that the structures were purely for aquaculture purposes and unrelated to issues of sovereignty or maritime boundary delimitation," Seoul said. The Foreign Ministry in Seoul further explained, "Both sides shared the understanding that this issue should not become an obstruction to the current trajectory of developing bilateral relations and agreed to continue communication through various channels at all levels." Seoul and Beijing also agreed to launch two working-level subcommittees to handle pending maritime issues for the first time during the third maritime cooperation dialogue. 'The first subcommittee on maritime order addresses bilateral issues such as Chinese-built structures in the West Sea and illegal fishing,' the Foreign Ministry in Seoul said. 'The second subcommittee, on Practical Cooperation, handles areas of collaboration including joint fish release and maritime search and rescue operations.' The Seoul ministry underscored that 'both sides committed to closely consult to stably manage maritime order in the West Sea and to expand and deepen practical cooperation through diplomatic channels at all levels.' Seoul and Beijing also agreed to hold a fourth meeting in China at a mutually convenient time. Wednesday's meeting marks the first in-person session, given that the previous two were held virtually, in April 2021 and June 2022, in the form of video conferences, with related ministries in attendance. The interagency meeting included, from the South Korean side, the Foreign Ministry, the Defense Ministry, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and the Korea Coast Guard. From the Chinese side, participants included the Foreign Ministry, the Defense Ministry, the National Resources Ministry, the Transport Ministry, and the China Coast Guard. The Korea-China Dialogue on Maritime Cooperation was established as a director-general-level consultative body designed to hold comprehensive discussions on maritime issues between the two countries, following a foreign ministerial agreement reached in December 2019. Seoul's concerns over the construction have grown in light of China's past behavior in the South China Sea, including the building of artificial islands and military bases in disputed waters — often within other countries' EEZ — causing tensions with neighboring countries such as the Philippines and Vietnam. China unilaterally constructed the Shenlan-1 facility in 2018, claiming it was deep-sea fishery farming equipment. In 2022, it constructed a steel structure under the guise of a deep-sea aquaculture management support facility. It was followed by another facility, the Shenlan-2 facility, in 2024. The South Korean government has detected signs of China constructing an additional structure this year. The PMZ was established under the Korea-China Fisheries Agreement of 2000, since the two countries have overlapping exclusive economic zones, without delineating a clear maritime boundary. Given that the Korea-China Fisheries Agreement does not have a provision against the installation of structures, it is difficult for Seoul to approach the issue under international law. The South Korean government, however, has been mulling over potential and feasible countermeasures at the pan-government level. Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul said Wednesday during a National Assembly session, "The government's position is to review effective measures, including proportional countermeasures, in light of feasibility and financial affordability."
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
South Korea expressed concern over Chinese structure in disputed area of sea
SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea expressed "deep concern" over China erecting a sea structure off the west coast of the Korean Peninsula during a maritime dialogue with Beijing in Seoul on Wednesday, Seoul's Foreign Ministry said. The Chinese side during the meeting had explained that the structure was fish-farming equipment and had nothing to do with territorial rights, the ministry said in a statement on Thursday. The structure in a disputed area of the Yellow Sea, known in South Korea as the West Sea, has raised alarm bells in Seoul over concerns China could be seeking to stake claims in the Provisional Maritime Zone, where the countries' exclusive economic zones overlap. Both sides agreed to continue communication and with the understanding that the issue should not hinder bilateral relations, the ministry said. "Through diplomatic channels at various levels, it was decided to closely discuss the stable management of the maritime order in the West Sea and the expansion and deepening of tangible cooperation," the statement said. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul told a parliamentary committee on Wednesday that Seoul was mulling its response, including proportional countermeasures. "The structure is within both Chinese and international law and does not violate the China-South Korea fisheries agreement," the Chinese embassy in Seoul said in a statement last month. Wednesday's bilateral meeting on maritime cooperation was attended by officials from the foreign ministries of both countries alongside other officials. Kang Young-shin, South Korea's Deputy Director-General for Northeast Asian Affairs, and China's Director-General for Boundary and Ocean Affairs Hong Liang represented each side, according to Seoul's ministry.
AsiaOne
24-04-2025
- Politics
- AsiaOne
South Korea expressed concern over Chinese structure in disputed area of sea, Asia News
SEOUL - South Korea expressed "deep concern" over China erecting a sea structure off the west coast of the Korean Peninsula during a maritime dialogue with Beijing in Seoul on Wednesday (April 23), Seoul's Foreign Ministry said. The Chinese side during the meeting had explained that the structure was fish-farming equipment and had nothing to do with territorial rights, the ministry said in a statement on Thursday. The structure in a disputed area of the Yellow Sea, known in South Korea as the West Sea, has raised alarm bells in Seoul over concerns China could be seeking to stake claims in the Provisional Maritime Zone, where the countries' exclusive economic zones overlap. Both sides agreed to continue communication and with the understanding that the issue should not hinder bilateral relations, the ministry said. "Through diplomatic channels at various levels, it was decided to closely discuss the stable management of the maritime order in the West Sea and the expansion and deepening of tangible co-operation," the statement said. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul told a parliamentary committee on Wednesday that Seoul was mulling its response, including proportional countermeasures. "The structure is within both Chinese and international law and does not violate the China-South Korea fisheries agreement," the Chinese embassy in Seoul said in a statement last month. Wednesday's bilateral meeting on maritime co-operation was attended by officials from the foreign ministries of both countries alongside other officials. [[nid:716624]] Kang Young-shin, South Korea's Deputy Director-General for Northeast Asian Affairs, and China's Director-General for Boundary and Ocean Affairs Hong Liang represented each side, according to Seoul's ministry.
