With
the 21st century just ahead, the world closed the age of discord
and antagonism and is opening up an age of reconciliation and cooperation.
With this, regionalism and pan-internationalism are rising
as a new world economic order. At this point of time, cooperative
systems between countries are required. There is even a presupposition
that the northeastern Asian region will be the center of the world
civilization and economy in the coming century.
Therefore,
the northeastern Asian region's whole economic take-off will begin
in the 2000s. As this region's all production requisites are
combined, Russian and Chinese economic growth will continue, and
Korean and Japanese economic vitality will be strengthened or regenerated.
In the
northeastern Asian region, the East Sea occupies a special position.
This is because the East Sea links the continent and the ocean
and plays the role of a beachhead between Russia and China and between
the ocean's east and west. Accordingly, the East Sea is observed
to take charge of a very important strategic role in the northeastern
Asian region.
However,
from the beginning of the 20th century to the present day, the name
of the East Sea has been recorded as the "Sea of Japan"
on international world maps, and the indication that this name is
wrong was recently brought up in Korea. Futhermore, because
the name of the East Sea has been recorded as the Sea of Korea or
Sea of Chosun up until the end of the 19th century and then was
changed to the Sea of Japan, there are many indications that the
present name is wrong.
First, if the name Sea of Japan
continues to exist, the 200 nautical miles Korean water area of
the continental shelf internationally recognized by the international
law, not to mention the Korean territorial waters, will be called
the sea owned by Japan.
Furthermore, characteristically
defined, the inshores including all the East Sea water surface and
area also become a part of the Sea of Japan. As for the East
Sea which is adjacent to the Pacific Ocean and nearby nations, a
problem arises if the name Sea of Japan is continuously used as
it is now.
Second, one part of the East Sea symbolizes
Korea and another part symbolizes Japan. However, under the
present state of things, this symbol is not internationally recognized
for Korea at all. The "East Sea," which is praised
in the Korean national anthem and other Korean songs, is just an
eastern sea of Korea which only Koreans regularly use and call;
it is nonetheless internationally called as the "Sea of Japan."
In the case of inshore, it is also a problem that the inshore
symbolizes one certain nation only.
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