LOC11:33
08:33 GMT
TOKYO, April 24 (KUNA) -- South Korea expressed "deep concern" over a set 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, according to Yonhap News Agency.
South Korea relayed the stance to China as the two nations wrapped up their regular maritime talks in Seoul on Wednesday, officials said, amid concerns that Beijing may try to expand its influence in the Yellow Sea by installing such structures.
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.
Director-General for Northeast Asian Affairs Kang Young-shin, who represented South Korea during the talks, "conveyed the government's deep concern and stressed the stance that our legitimate maritime rights should not be violated," the ministry said.
China, on the other hand, described the structures as purely for aquaculture purposes and unrelated to any sovereignty issues or maritime demarcation, according to the ministry.
The South Korean side, in particular, demanded China to relocate the controversial structures out of the PMZ, warning it will consider taking "proportional response measures" if the demand is not met.
Since 2018, China has installed three structures in the PMZ -- two floating installations it claims are fish farms, and one fixed steel structure, described as an aquaculture management facility.
The installations have sparked suspicions that China may have placed them to assert greater maritime sovereignty. (end)
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