• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.41 no.5 s.116
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• pp.630-638
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• 2006

This paper reviews international practices of naming undersea features, centered on SCUFN (Sub-Committee on Undersea Feature Names), and draws some implications for the newly announced undersea feature names in East Sea. Even though the history of the activities of naming undersea features in Korea is not long, recent years have witnessed considerable progress in finding and naming undersea features. In view of the guidelines for naming undersea features by SCUFN, it is evaluated that most of these names have been appropriately selected. But more justification should be made for specific terms using historical persons, symbolic term, and for two names proposed for those already listed in the Gazetteer. For further works on naming undersea features, three steps are suggested: first, conducting surveys and accumulating data on undersea features, second, naming and announcing newly found features and publicizing them, and third, making attempts to achieve international standardization of domestically announced names.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.41 no.5 s.116
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• pp.600-622
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• 2006

The consistent use of appropriate names for the undersea features is an essential element of effective communication among ocean scientists. The correct use of names on bathymetric and nautical charts provide benefits to national and international communities. Also it is expected that naming of the marine geographical features within the territorial waters and EEZ contributes to secure the territorial waters and preserve the various marine resources. This paper will seek to addresses a variety of activities where geographic names issues for undersea features arises. For the purpose of this paper, the attention will be given upon 1) the general history of activities on naming undersea features in Korea; 2) development of the guideline for standardization of marine geographical names; 3) geomorphological characteristics of undersea features in East Sea; and 4) future plan to conduct a systematic analysis for naming marine geographical features in Korea.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.41 no.5 s.116
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• pp.623-629
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• 2006

At present, 3 names about undersea features in the East Sea - Korean Plateau, Tsushima Basin, Syun-yo Bank - are listed on Gazetteer Any explanations are not given for registration of these names. Just it seems that the names written on International marine chart(INT 511) were recorded to Gazetteer. Furthermore Tsushima Basin and Syun-yo Bank have no oceanographic, geologic reason and geographical relevance, and the names should be replaced by Ulleung Basin and Isabu Tablemount, respectively, that is deeply related to geographical relevance and genetic origin.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.914-928
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• 2013

Establishment of limits and names for oceans and seas is necessary for a safety of navigation. Even if there are no national and international standard for the delimitation of sea boundaries, we can take guidelines for the delimitation of sea boundaries through the analysis of IHO official publications, Limits and Names for Oceans and Sea; S-23. This paper shows the changes of the spatial limit of seas since first edition publication, and the standards for a delimitation of oceans and seas were analyzed using S-23 4th edition draft(2002) in terms of physical geographic features. The generic terms of S-23 include Ocean, Sea, Channel, Passage, Strait, Sound, Gulf, Bay and Bight, and each generic term shows hierarchical structures. Several seas show different characteristics compared with definitions of IHO dictionary. Sea boundaries are delimited by longitude and latitude, cape, river mouth, sandbar, and so on. Undersea features such as a shelf, trench, trough, rise, bank and reef are also important features for delimitation of sea boundary. Especially, seas that are delimited by undersea feature are mainly located Arctic and Southern ocean area in S-23 4th edition. Advanced knowledge of marine science with a technical advance might affect to delimit for sea boundary.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.225-242
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• 2012

This is the first attempt to produce simultaneous surface current field from satellite altimeter data for the entire East Sea and to provide surface current information to users with formal description. It is possible to estimate surface geostrophic current field in near real-time because satellite altimeters and coastal tide gauges supply sea level data for the whole East Sea. Strength and location of the major currents and meso-scale eddies can be identified from the estimated surface geostrophic current field. The mean locations of major surface currents were explicated relative to topographic, ocean-surface and undersea features with schematic representation of surface circulation. In order to demonstrate the practical use of this surface current information, exemplary descriptions of annual, seasonal and monthly mean surface geostrophic current distributions were presented. In order to objectively classify surface circulation patterns in the East Sea, empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis was performed on the estimated 16-year (1993-2008) surface current data. The first mode was associated with intensification or weakening of the East Korea Warm Current (EKWC) flowing northward along the east coast of Korea and of the anti-cyclonic circulation southwest of Yamato Basin. The second mode was associated with meandering paths of the EKWC in the southern East Sea with wavelength of 300 km. The first and second modes had inter-annual variations. The East Sea surface circulation was classified as inertial boundary current pattern, Tsushima Warm Current pattern, meandering pattern, and Offshore Branch pattern by the time coefficient of the first two EOF modes.