Seoul: South Korea expressed "deep concern" over a set of steel structures China installed in the Yellow Sea, while emphasizing that Seoul's legitimate maritime interests should not be infringed upon, the foreign ministry said Thursday. South Korea relayed the stance to China as the two nations wrapped up their regular maritime talks in Seoul on Wednesday, officials said, amid concerns that Beijing may try to expand its influence in the Yellow Sea by installing such structures.
According to Yonhap News Agency, China has constructed a set of steel structures in the Provisional Maritime Zone (PMZ) near Ieo Islet, a submerged rock off South Korea's southwest coast. The PMZ is an area where the exclusive economic zones of the two countries overlap. Director-General for Northeast Asian Affairs Kang Young-shin, who represented South Korea during the talks, "conveyed the government's deep concern and stressed the stance that our legitimate maritime rights should not be violated," the ministry said.
China, on the other hand, described the structures as purely for aquaculture purposes and unrelated to any sovereignty issues or maritime demarcation, according to the ministry. The South Korean side, in particular, demanded China relocate the controversial structures out of the PMZ, warning it will consider taking "proportional response measures" if the demand is not met. It also expressed its "absolute intolerance" of any additional installations, a ministry official said on condition of anonymity.
According to sources with knowledge of the matter, the Chinese side voiced difficulties in complying with South Korea's relocation demand but instead proposed arranging an on-site inspection by South Korean officials. The foreign ministry plans to internally review whether an on-site inspection is necessary before discussing the matter with the Chinese side, according to a ministry official.
The two sides agreed to continue discussions on the matter at all levels, based on a shared understanding that it should not pose any hurdles to the development of bilateral relations, the ministry added. The session also established two subcommittees under the dialogue: a "maritime order" subcommittee tasked with addressing contentious issues, such as the controversial structures or poaching, and another focused on joint maritime cooperation, including maritime search.
The two sides agreed to hold the following session in China at a mutually convenient time. Since 2018, China has installed three structures in the PMZ -- two floating installations it claims are fish farms, and one fixed steel structure, described as an aquaculture management facility. The installations have sparked suspicions that China may have placed them to assert greater maritime sovereignty.