[Editorial] North Korean Merchant Ships` Passage of Cheju Straits

It is clearly an aggressive act that the North Korean merchant ships passed through the Cheju Island Straits despite the prohibition of the South Navy. Even when taking into the consideration that the Cheju Island Straits is used as an international route and the innocent passage clause is applied, the North Korean behavior is not acceptable.

Since the Korean Peninsula is still on the state of an armistice, the South has prohibited the passage of the North Korean ships through the Straits. Even though the North Korean vessels are merchant ships and are not harmful, the South still have to consider the special circumstances of the inter-Korean relationship and the security of the South.

International law also prevents the passage of the warships and other ships potentially offensive to the neighbor country. Therefore, according to the war regulation of the UN Command, when a North Korean ship approaches the Straits, the Korean Navy immediately undertakes the inspection by radio and guide the ship to the open waters.

Regarding the current situation of the inter-Korean relationship, the Korean Navy seemed not to have applied the physical forces. While P3C ``Orion`` aircraft, a fast patrol boat and an escort ship of the South`s Navy, kept watch on the North Korean vessels and tried to guide them to the open waters, the North Korean ships continued its navigation through the Straits, saying ``The Cheju Island Straits is an international route. We are passing through the Cheju Strait by the order of the higher level.`` It is very clear that the real intention of the North Korea is to make the passage of the Cheju Island Straits as an established fact.

It is no doubt that the North would save much time and cost if the North Korean ships pass through Cheju Island Straits, instead of detouring through the southern sea of the Cheju Island to go to the other side of the Peninsula or to Japan. If the North request the permission of the passage through the Cheju Straits for this reason, the North Korea must explain the situation and officially request the negotiation on the matter. South Korea has often engaged in negotiations with the North to have permission for the South ships to enter the Nampo or Koseung harbor, which is in the route of Mt. Keumkang Tour.

Since the fishery season, the North Korean ships have already intruded through the Northern Limit Line (NLL) four times in the past week. Now the North is to pass through the Cheju Straits on its own will. It is very disappointing to see that the North closed the inter-Korean dialogue and continued the obstinate aggressions.

North Korea has to return to the table of the inter-Korean dialogue. And the South must strictly respond to the North`s conducts against the principles.