South Korea calls on Japanese ships to stop investigating and Japanese protest
Kyodo news on August 16, Japan’s maritime security agency released a message on the 15th that the South Korean ocean Police Agency (ROK) asked the Japanese maritime police agency to stop the investigation of its survey vessel “Pingyang” in the East China Sea, west of the women’s Island in Nagasaki Prefecture. Japan claims that this is a legitimate activity in Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), and has protested to South Korea through diplomatic channels. South Korea changed to other vessels, and on the 16th also went parallel or drifted with Pingyang, continuing the above requirements. At about 4:20 a.m. on the 15th, about 141 kilometers west of Nuo Dao, the South Korean maritime police agency (ROK) vessel requested in English by radio, “the investigation in South Korean waters needs to be approved, please stop,” according to the Haibao. It is reported that EEZ is within 200 nautical miles (about 370km) from the coast, and the sea area at the site is within 200 nautical miles from both Japan and South Korea. The survey ship was on the Japanese side of the middle line between the two countries. It is said to be the first time South Korea has taken such action near the sea.
