Korea Sends Coast Guard Ships to Dokdo

Japan’s plan to conduct a hydrographical survey near the waters of Korea has led to a conference at Cheong Wa Dae. At this conference, correspondences regarding various degrees of danger have been debated, including the case of a possibility of a military clash near Dokdo.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Ministry of National Defense, and the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries met to debate on the course of action they would take in case an incident over the islets arises.

The government has decided to put diplomatic pressure on Japanese ships to stay out of the Korean

Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and plans to stop, search, and seize ships that try to enter the EEZ.

Consequently, the “Quiet Diplomacy” principle the government has been taking may be converted to a use-of-force approach.

The National Maritime Police Agency has dispatched its largest patrol ship, the 5,000 ton Sambong-ho, to EEZ, supported by additional 3,000 ton patrol ship. Moreover, the government has focused on the fact that the Japanese government has registered “Ulleung Basin” as the “Tsushima Basin” with the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO).

The government suspects Japan of trying to confirm the name of “Ulleung Basin” to “Sushima Basin” at an IHO conference on June 21 and make an issue of the sovereignty of Dokdo on that basis.

Meanwhile, President Roh Moo-hyun will hold a conference at Cheong Wa Dae to talk about countermeasures.

Jong-Koo Yoon Kum-Chun Hwang jkmas@donga.com kchwang@donga.com