China builds in the West Sea / KBS 2025.03.18.

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Mar 182025

[Anchor] China has once again been caught installing large structures in the South Korea-China Provisional Measures Zone in the West Sea, where activities other than fishing are prohibited. As our government began an investigation, the Chinese side obstructed it, leading to a standoff between the two sides, which has only recently come to light. There are suspicions that the Chinese government is laying the groundwork to assert territorial claims in the future, and our government has strongly protested to the Chinese embassy. Kim Kyung-jin reports. [Report] Earlier this year, it was detected by our reconnaissance satellites that China had illegally installed a 50-meter-high steel structure in the "South Korea-China Provisional Measures Zone." On the 26th of last month, the government sent the marine survey vessel Onnuri to inspect the structure, but as we approached, Chinese coast guard and civilians in three rubber boats came to block us, leading to a two-hour standoff with our coast guard. The Chinese side claimed, "It's an aquaculture facility, so go back," while our side insisted it was a "legitimate investigation." Immediately after the incident, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned officials from the Chinese embassy in South Korea to convey our firm stance and protest. [Lee Jae-woong/Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "The government is actively responding at a whole-of-government level to ensure that our legitimate and lawful maritime rights in the West Sea are not affected."] The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that there are ongoing communications regarding maritime disputes between the two countries. [Mao Ning/Spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "I can say that there are overlapping points in the maritime rights claims of China and South Korea."] The South Korea-China Provisional Measures Zone (PMZ) is an area where the exclusive economic zones of both countries overlap, and all activities other than fishing are prohibited. Last year, China also illegally installed two large structures in this area, prompting a backlash from our government, and now they have installed another structure. There are suspicions that China is trying to expand its influence in the West Sea and create a basis for future "territorial claims." This is KBS News, Kim Kyung-jin. ▣ KBS 기사 원문보기 : http://news.kbs.co.kr/news/view.do?nc... ▣ 제보 하기 ◇ 카카오톡 : 'KBS제보' 검색 ◇ 전화 : 02-781-1234 ◇ 홈페이지 : https://goo.gl/4bWbkG ◇ 이메일 : kbs1234@kbs.co.kr Copyright ⓒ KBS. All rights reserved. 무단 전재, 재배포 및 이용(AI 학습 포함) 금지