S. Korea voices ‘deep concern’ over China’s steel structures in Yellow Sea

By Park Boram

SEOUL, April 24 (Yonhap) — South Korea expressed “deep concern” over a series of steel structures China installed in the Yellow Sea, while emphasizing that Seoul’s legitimate maritime interests should not be infringed upon, the foreign ministry said Thursday.

South Korea relayed the stance to China as the two nations wrapped up their regular maritime talks in Seoul on Wednesday, officials said, amid diplomatic tensions over China’s installation of the steel structures in the Yellow Sea.

China has constructed a set of steel structures in the Provisional Maritime Zone (PMZ) near Ieo Islet, a submerged rock off South Korea’s southwest coast. The PMZ is an area where the exclusive economic zones of the two countries overlap.

China, on the other hand, described the structures as purely for aquaculture purposes and unrelated to any territorial issues or maritime demarcation, according to the ministry.

The two sides agreed to continue discussions on the matter at all levels, based on a shared understanding that it should not pose any hurdles to the development of bilateral relations, the ministry added.