"Japan Claims 'Sea of Japan' as the Only Official Name" ... South Korean Foreign Ministry Says "Not True"

Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Refutes 'East Sea-Japan Sea Dual Naming' in Korean-Language YouTube Video

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] On the 22nd, Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs created a Korean-language video opposing the South Korean government's claim to use both 'Donghae' and 'Sea of Japan' as international names, and uploaded it to the video site YouTube, sparking controversy.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs' YouTube channel released a video titled "Sea of Japan - The Only Name Recognized by the International Community" in nine languages including Korean, Japanese, Chinese, French, German, and Arabic on the afternoon of the same day. Previously, the Ministry had uploaded an English version of the video with the same title on YouTube, and the content is identical.

The video, about four minutes long, refutes South Korea's claims to change the name to 'Donghae' or to use both 'Donghae' and 'Sea of Japan,' asserting that the Sea of Japan is the only internationally recognized name.

The video begins with a statement from Franz Josef Jung, former German Minister of Defense: "Europeans know, just as the Mediterranean is the Mediterranean, the Sea of Japan is the Sea of Japan."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs argued in the video that the name Sea of Japan was not given by Japan but was widely used in Europe during Japan's isolation period and later spread internationally.

The Ministry conveyed former German Minister of Defense Jung's claim that South Korea's push since 1992 to change the name to Donghae or to use both Donghae and Sea of Japan is an attempt to unilaterally alter an established international convention.

It also argued that "South Korea does not claim to change or use dual names for the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea, which are called 'Namhae' and 'Seohae' domestically in Korea," implying that South Korea is only raising issues regarding the Sea of Japan.

Yoshihiko Isozaki, Japan's Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary, responded to related questions at a regular press conference on the same day, stating, "The Sea of Japan is the only internationally established name," and added, "We have been working to promote correct understanding of this in the international community, including the production and distribution of this video, and will continue to respond firmly."

In response, a South Korean Foreign Ministry official said, "We are well aware of the related developments," and refuted, "Many of the claims Japan makes in the video, such as the Sea of Japan being the only internationally recognized name, are not true."

The official added, "The government will pay close attention to these developments, clarify the facts, and continue to present our position to the international community and Japan."