S.korea Coast Guard Orders Halt To Japan Survey
A South Korean coast guard ship has ordered a Japanese coast guard vessel to end a survey it is conducting in Japan's exclusive economic zone off the southwestern prefecture of Nagasaki.
The Japan Coast Guard, or JCG, says the South Korean ship radioed the demand shortly after 4 a.m. on Saturday when the Japanese vessel was engaged in a survey about 140 kilometers west of Meshima, an islet in Nagasaki's Goto Islands. The JCG says the waters are within Japan's EEZ.
The JCG says the South Korean ship demanded an immediate halt to the survey by claiming that conducting scientific research in South Korean waters requires prior approval by the South Korean government.
The JCG says it responded that the Japanese vessel has been undertaking a legitimate survey in Japan's EEZ. It also urged the South Korean ship to immediately stop making the demand and leave the vicinity of the Japanese vessel.
The JCG says the South Korean ship also repeated the same demand around once an hour on Sunday, but it plans to continue the survey as scheduled.
The JCG says this is the first time that a South Korean coast guard ship has issued such an order.
The JCG has lodged a protest with South Korea through Japan's Foreign Ministry.
