Checking Points

Why do world maps feature the designation 'Sea of Japan' more frequently than 'East Sea'? Based on Korea's use of the designation "East Sea" for over two thousand years, and based on its current use by 50 million Koreans, the Korean government has actively sought to internationally establish "East Sea" as the proper designation. However, the reality remains that "Sea of Japan" is currently more widely used in world maps and official documents of various countries. Sea of Japan became widely use...

• Views 1527

Historical and Legal References

■ Identification of the East Sea in Ancient Western Maps It was in the early 16th century that the sea area between the Korean peninsula and the Japanese archipelago began to appear on world maps following worldwide voyages of discovery. From the 16th to the early 19th century, Westerners used various names for this sea, including Sea of Joseon, Sea of Korea, Eastern Sea, Oriental Sea, Sea of China, and Sea of Japan, but the name used most frequently was indisputably Sea of Korea. ...

• Views 2208

Japan’s Claims and ROK’s Beliefs

■ Japan's Claims The term Sea of Japan is widely recognized by the international community and some 95 percent of world maps have adopted that name. Changing the name of the sea could cause unnecessary confusion. The name Sea of Japan was established during the late 18th to early 19th century by the Western world. The issue is irrelevant to the Japanese colonial rule. The name Sea of Japan came from geographical features of the area. Since the Japanese archipelago separates this sea from the Pacif...

• Views 1650

The name East Sea has been in use for 2,000 years

Samguksagi (History of the Three Kingdoms) recounts the history of ancient states in Korea and the name "East Sea" was used when describing historical events that occurred around B.C. 50. The body of water that Koreans have called the East Sea (“Donghae” in Korean) for the past 2,000 years is widely known as the Sea of Japan to many other countries. But, as indicated in the book Samguksagi (History of the Three Kingdoms, 1145), the first known use of the name East Sea was in 37 B.C., pred...

• Views 2557

Background on the Name of the East Sea

Background on the Name of the East Sea January, 2000 The Society for East Sea Seoul National University In most world maps and atlases used internationally today, Korea's East Sea is indicated as the "Sea of Japan," and therefore an immediate correction is warranted. To this end, it is necessary to review the historical background of the term "East Sea" and how Korea's East Sea has been recognized by neighboring countries and Western nations in the past. This article also explains how the ...

• Views 1282

East Sea or "Sea of Japan?" - How to name the Sea Area between the Korean Peninsula and the Japanese Archipelago.

How to name the Sea Area between the Korean Peninsula and the Japanese Archipelago. October, 2002 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade 1. Historical Background Historically, the sea area between the Korean peninsula and the Japanese archipelago, known as the "Sea of Japan", had been referred to by various names. Before the 18th century, no single name had been consistently used to designate this body of water. Various names such as "East Sea," "Sea of Korea," "Sea of Japan" and "Oriental Sea" ...

• Views 1444