"Sea of Japan" "Sea of Korea" or "East Sea"

Detail of a new & correct chart of all the known world laid down according to Mercator's projection, exhibiting all the late discoveries & improvements: the whole being collected from the most authentic journals, charts, &c, by Emanuel Bowen. [1760]

From UPI

The U.S. maritime boundary agency's reported decision to go with the "Sea of Japan" name for the waters between South Korea and Japan has made Seoul unhappy.

Admiralty Chart No 2459 North west Pacific Ocean, Published 1877

UW Milwaukee

South Korea, which uses the name "
East Sea" for the body of the water between the Korean Peninsula and Japan, lodged an informal protest against the U.S. agency's action, Yonhap News Agency reported Monday, quoting a diplomatic source.

The name has been an issue between South Korea and Japan for decades, and the protest is over the U.S. agency's reported notification recently to the International Hydrographic Organization, favoring the "Sea of Japan" name, Yonhap said.

Japan RNC / ENC

Seoul's claim is that the name "Sea of Japan" was used during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula, a bitter historical chapter for the Koreans.

Since 1992 when the East Sea name was chosen, South Korea has been urging the global community to simultaneously use both names, the report said.

This 1880 map shows a once unified Korea.

While the map was produced before the peninsula would become two separate nations, it does include an indication of the now well-known 38th parallel and Sea of Japan.

see LOC

The sources told Yonhap the U.S. government, noting Seoul's displeasure, has said the name issue was not Washington's official stance.

South Korea and Japan also are involved in a dispute over Japan's claim to
two islets in the sea. Last week, four Japanese lawmakers from the opposition party were not allowed by the South Korean immigration to travel to an island near the islets.
Links :

• East Asian Map collection : "Sea of Korea" map collection
• Dokdo : Korea East Sea
• PRKorea : "East Sea" vs "Sea of Japan" (YouTube)
• KHOA : Korean Hydrographic and Oceanographic Agency : FAQ on "East Sea"
• Japan Hydrographic Service : Japanese basic position on the naming of the "Japan Sea"
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Korea : East Sea issue
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan : "Sea of Japan", the one and only name familiar to the International Community
• YouTube : The East Sea, not the Sea of Japan (part I / II / III)
• YouTube : Sea of Japan - A globally established name (part I / II / III)
• GSI : Changing in the Name of the “Japan Sea”