• Ocean and Polar Research
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.245-262
• /
• 2007

On 25 December 2000, China and Vietnam signed the Agreement on the Delimitation of the Territorial Seas, EEZs and Continental Shelves in the Tonkin Gulf. Three and a half years after signature, in June 2004, China and Vietnam both ratified a maritime boundary agreement for the Tonkin Gulf (Beibu Gulf) and the agreement entered into force. A potentially complicating factor in the negotiation process was likely to have been the status of the Sino-French Agreement of 1887. In the end, the agreement reached indicated that even if the status of the Sino-French Agreement of 1887 was part of the negotiations, both sides eventually agreed that it would not have an impact on the delimitation of maritime zones in the Gulf of Tonkin. Another crucial issue was the impact of the islands, in particular, the Vietnamese controlled Bach Long Vi Island and Con Co Island. Especially, Bach Long Vi Island was entitled to a half suite of maritime zones (3n.m. EEZ) and would impact the tracing of a line of equidistance in the Gulf of Tonkin. Minor as the point might be, Con Co Island also would have an impact for it would play a fixing terminal point for the boundary. Article 7 of the agreement is about minerals and hydrocarbons of cross-boundary deposit, and if any single geophysical structure of oil and gas or other mineral deposits should straddle the demarcation line, an agreement is to be reached on the development of the structure or deposit and on the most effective manner to equally share the profits resulting from the development.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.23-29
• /
• 2012

Korea has maritime jurisdiction over an area 4.5 times larger than the nation's inland area, but negotiations with surrounding nations on the maritime boundary delimitation have still not been completed satisfactorily. In particular, maritime boundary delimitation has become an important issue in terms of maritime security and resource exploration. Considering national interests, the delimitation of the maritime boundary is essential. However, no system to help the decision-makers involved in maritime boundary delimitation has yet been systematically constructed. Therefore, the aim of this study was the development of a system to support such decision-making. In this study, considerations related to maritime boundary delimitation were investigated through expert advice and international precedents. Based on these considerations, data were collected from several organizations, and a spatial database was systematically constructed. Finally, MBDSS (maritime boundary delimitation support system) was developed to support maritime boundary delimitation. This GIS-based system provides visual information about the considerations for the maritime boundary delimitation. Thus, it could help decision-makers to choose appropriate boundaries during the negotiation. Furthermore, this system is expected to be utilized as a scientific tool on the delimitation of maritime boundaries.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Marine Engineers Conference
• /
• 2006.06a
• /
• pp.135-136
• /
• 2006

There are several Disputes relating to the delimitation of maritime boundary and the policy of maritime jurisdiction of the states around the Korea Peninsula. These disputes are connected with the place of 'Tokdo' dominated practically by Korea, 'Senkaku islands' dominated practically by Japan, and 'Kurile islands' that is under disputing between Russia and Japan. North Korea has also the problem. The delimitation of Maritime Boundary among these States would be concluded in very near future. Therefore, we need to understand the maritime jurisdiction policy of these states. South Korea also has to set the policy.

• Proceedings of KOSOMES biannual meeting
• /
• 2005.05a
• /
• pp.53-61
• /
• 2005

Dokdo, a group of 33 small and rocky Islets, in the East Sea have been administered by Korea for years since 1953 and are currently occupied by Korean Police Unit. Located about 217Km off the eastern border of Korea and 87Km east of UIleung Island in North Gyeongsang Province. Situated in the East Sea of Korea, Dokdo itself has valuable strategic implications for Korea as well as another countries such as Russia, Japan, U.SA etc. The first historical testimonies to Dokdo were in Korean documents referring to it as a part of an independent island district known as Ulleung Island(Usanguk), which was incorporated into Silla Kingdom in 512 A.D. in '1454 Sejong Authentic History'. Historically, since at least 1881, the island has been called Dokdo by Koreans, meaning 'Rock Island' or 'Lonely Island'. Also Korea, which regained a full sovereignty and have exercised it for decades continuously, keeps a small police detachment on the Island. That is, Dokdo is under effective control of Korea until today. Therefore Dokdo, which is a problem that is related to our territory and sovereignty, is clearly a cluster of Islands of Korea.

• Strategy21
• /
• s.40
• /
• pp.235-254
• /
• 2016

최근 남중국해(South China Sea: 南中國海)가 동아시아 해양안보의 중심 이슈로 대두되고 있다. 아울러 남중국해 문제가 당사국 간 해양분쟁 및 해양경계획정 이슈만이 아닌, 제3자 개입 등의 다자간 해양분쟁과 대립으로 확산되는 매우 복잡한 양상을 보이고 있다. 이러한 남중국해 해양문제는 미국과 중국 간의 강대국 경쟁구도가 적용되어 힘의 시현을 위한 대결 국면이 되는 반면, 중국이 전통적 해양이익을 구단선(nine dash line)을 근거로 주장하면서 국제법 적용 문제에 따른 법적 문제의 성격을 나타내고 있다. 이에 따라 최근 남중국해 상황은 '항해의 자유(Freedom of Navigation)' 보장을 주장하는 미국, 역사적 권리 보장을 위해 일반적 조치를 강행하고 해군력을 증강시키는 중국, 그리고 남중국해를 경유하는 수많은 선박들의 항해 안전(navigational safety)을 강조하는 역내 국가 간 의견이 표출되는 복잡한 양상으로 나타나고 있다. 특히 최근 중국이 상설중재재판소의 남중국해 중재판결을 무시하여 국제법 적용이 어려운 가운데 포괄적 동아시아 해양안보 차원에서 남중국해 이슈 해결을 위한 새로운 접근방안이 요구되고 있다. 이는 남중국해에 대한 당사국 간 평화적 분쟁 해결과 더불어, 강대국 간의 전략적 함의에 의한 해결이 병행되어야 함을 의미한다.

• Strategy21
• /
• s.30
• /
• pp.177-199
• /
• 2012

As is generally known, the sovereignty dispute over the Senkaku Islands between China/Taiwan and Japan was triggered by a report commissioned by the UN in 1968, which reported the possibility of a substantial amount of petroleum and natural gas buried in the South China Sea. When the administrative authority over the Ryukyu Islands was transferred from the US to Japan in 1972, jurisdiction over the Senkaku Islands was also transferred. A dispute ensued between China (Taiwan) and Japan over the Senkaku Islands except during the period in which formal relations were established between the two states. This paper will take a look particularly at the events that occurred in the 2000's and discuss their recent trends and aspects of the dispute. Though China and Japan agreed to joint resource development in 2008, the agreed zone was a very small area adjacent to the Korea-Japan Joint Continental Shelf Development Zone, and the points of agreement have not been implemented. China has been developing four oil fields including Chunxiao in its waters adjacent to the median line asserted by Japan. However, China also has been excluding the participation of Japan, while Japan has been strongly objecting to the unilateral development of oil fields by China. If indeed the oil fields on China's side are connected past the median line asserted by Japan, then China's unilateral development will infringe upon the potential sovereign rights of Japan, thereby violating international law.

• Ocean and Polar Research
• /
• v.29 no.1
• /
• pp.55-67
• /
• 2007

A reference to natural prolongation appeared for the first time in the North Sea Judgement. Although it was not suggested that the concept of natural prolongation would automatically allow for the fixing of a continental shelf boundary, that concept encouraged States to request international tribunals to determine continental shelf boundaries on the basis of the geological and geomorphological features of the seabed. In the Libya v. Malta Case, however, the rejection of geological and geomorphological factors was total. Especially, Natural prolongation was the then checkmated as a relevant fact in delimitation between coasts situated less than 400 nm. apart. There can be no doubt that, in several disputed cases, prominent geomorphological variations are simply ignored ; nevertheless, there are also a few agreements where geological and geomorphological characteristics come into play and, to a certain extent, affect maritime boundaries. Physical characteristics of sea-bed are generally given serious consideration in the boundary delimitation such as the final negotiated boundary of the Australia-Indonesia Continental Shelf boundary Agreement(Timor and Arafura seas) which follows the continental slope bordering the Timor Trench.

• Ocean and Polar Research
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.175-186
• /
• 2006

There are disputes for oil and gas development between China and Japan in the East China Sea. These involve the area where China is already carrying out activities of oil and gas development and where Japan is proclaiming its EEZ. China insists that the Chinese activities on oil and gas development area are being carried out within the Chinese jurisdictional waters even if the median line principle of Japanese proclamation is applied in delimitation. Indeed, the permit for Japanese development is causing disputes between China and Japan because its permit allows development in the waters adjacent to Chinese development area. h the event, the core of this dispute around the oil and gas field in the East China Sea relates to issues of maritime boundary delimitation and issues of resources acquisition with both states. Chinese policy on oil and gas development is to first consider development issues in accordance with a median line principle where waters toward to China from the median line should be developed by China and the area toward Japan from the median line within the Chinese continental shelf should be jointly developed. However, the Japanese position is that the East China Sea should be jointly developed, and Japan hopes to eventually convince China to accept its median line delimitation. With on-going development of such issues, Korea should establish a strategy of negotiation based on analyses of resource distributional conditions and other strategic factors in the Korean delimitation area. In particular, Korea should prepare and make the best use of joint development zone established in an agreement between the ROK and Japan concerning the development of the southern part of continental shelf adjacent to both states.

• Maritime Security
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.83-113
• /
• 2022

Although China's maritime militia has not been well known despite its long history, it is recently emerging as a serious threat to maritime security, causing neighboring countries' security concerns due to the growing number of maritime disputes with China. In this regard, it is now time to clearly define the true nature of the Chinese maritime militia. A close look at the organization and roles of the Chinese maritime militia reveals that it is an organization that is systematically managed and operated by the Chinese government and the People's Liberation Army of China. Its role is to serve the purpose of "contributing to the protection and expansion of China's marine interests." In addition, the threat factors of the Chinese maritime militia were analyzed by examining the cases of maritime disputes between the Chinese maritime militia and neighboring countries. First, the Chinese maritime militia has implemented the "Gray Zone Strategy." Second, it is a systematic organization supported by the Chinese government and the People's Liberation Army. Third, it is a maritime power that cannot be ignored as the world's largest militia organization. Fourth, it has a strategic flexibility that enables the execution of the dual mission of working for a living such as commercial fishing and serving in the maritime militia. The threats of the Chinese maritime militia are not limited to Southeast Asian countries located in the South China Sea. This is also the case in Korea as the country cannot avoid maritime disputes with China such as the Ieodo issue and the boundary delimitation of the West Sea. Accordingly, this study was focused on presenting a predictable scenario and countermeasures based on the analysis through a scenario technique with respect to the two cases that are most likely to occur in Korea-China relations. Finally, beyond identifying the nature of the Chinese maritime militia, this study takes a further step to share considerations as to how the organization may operate and develop in the future and how we can cope with its moves.

• Spatial Information Research
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.89-102
• /
• 2009

The information of ocean topology is the fundamental source which is necessary for understanding the ocean, producing nautical charts and delimiting maritime boundaries. An echo sounder is being used generally to collect undersea bathymetric data, but an indirect method such as geophysical data acquired by satellites is being used recently. In this study, the outputs of ocean surveying for the production of the Basic Maps of the Sea in 1996 and 1997 in the East Sea and the bathymetric data produced by geophysical data are compared and analyzed. The study areas are Ulleung Plateau, Ulleung Basin and the southern area of Ulleung Basin which have different geophysical characteristics. Through this study, we found that the bathymetric data acquired by an indirect method using satellite is similar to the field surveying results in general configuration of ocean floor and average depth. However, the minimum square error is about 100m in 1700m depth, and it has been observed a local error up to 1000m. In addition, it has been found that the detailed undulation of ocean topology is shown on the gravity data which is acquired by the research vessel.