Seoul: South Korea expressed "deep concern" over a series of steel structures that China has installed in the Yellow Sea, emphasizing that Seoul's legitimate maritime interests should not be infringed upon, the foreign ministry stated.
According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korea communicated this concern to China during their regular maritime talks in Seoul on Wednesday. This comes amid diplomatic tensions surrounding the construction of the steel structures in the Yellow Sea. The structures are located in the Provisional Maritime Zone (PMZ) near Ieo Islet, a submerged rock off South Korea's southwest coast, where the exclusive economic zones of the two nations overlap.
Director-General for Northeast Asian Affairs Kang Young-shin, representing South Korea in the talks, conveyed the government's stance that their maritime rights should remain unviolated. In response, China described the structures as being for aquaculture purposes, asserting they are unrelated to sovereignty issues or maritime demarcation.
Both countries agreed to continue discussions, understanding that the issue should not hinder bilateral relations. The talks resulted in the formation of two subcommittees: a "maritime order" subcommittee to address contentious issues like the structures or poaching, and another for joint maritime cooperation, including search efforts.
The next session will be held in China at a mutually convenient time. Since 2018, China has installed three structures in the PMZ, including two floating installations it claims are fish farms and one fixed structure for aquaculture management. These installations have led to suspicions regarding China's intent to assert greater maritime sovereignty.