earticle

영어

1982 marked the culmination of 14 years of negotiations via the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) which involved over 150 member states.
UNCLOS provides dispute resolution mechanisms to resolve maritime disputes peacefully.
While South Korea and China ratified parts of UNCLOS, the two states avoid UNCLOS dispute resolution mechanisms. The Ieodo issue is a maritime dispute between South Korea and China. It is not a territorial dispute, but an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) delimitation dispute. EEZs refer to areas that states consider vital sea resources of an economic nature.
From a technical standpoint, Ieodo is not the object of a territorial dispute, but jurisdiction over it has to be decided through negotiations between South Korea and China. China's expanded economic strength has raised suspicions and concerns among neighboring countries.
Maritime issues are rising to the forefront of China's security concerns. EEZ has started to become linked with wider strategic issues relating to China’s naval strategy. China has never
disputed Japan's sovereignty over Okinotorishima, but rejects its claim to the 400,000 square
kilometers marine footprint, which is larger than Japan's entire land area. With China emerging
as a major power, China wants to deny American access to its nearby waters so it can have its
way with its neighbors. China’s intensified effort to keep America’s military out of its EEZ.
Ieodo Issue and Okinotorishima Issue imply to deny China access to their nearby waters. This
article explores how the UNCLOS regime affects maritime boundary delimitation, and its implications for international relations focusing on Ieodo and Okinotorishima.