The article discusses the urgent response to China’s actions in the Yellow Sea, specifically their installation of a steel structure in the provisional water zone (PMZ) between South Korea and China without permission. South Korean lawmaker Na Kyung-won of the People Power Party is leading efforts to address this issue, emphasizing that it should not be ignored. Na advocates for a National Assembly resolution condemning China’s actions and calling for the immediate removal of the structure.
Na hosted an emergency parliamentary forum with fellow lawmakers to discuss the situation. The Chinese installation is viewed as a provocation and a violation of maritime sovereignty, reminiscent of China’s past tactics in the South China Sea.
The South Korean government attempted to investigate the structure using an ocean survey vessel but was confronted by Chinese opposition.
Na argued for a bipartisan resolution in the National Assembly to hold China accountable and urged fellow lawmakers to support her proposed resolution defending South Korea’s maritime sovereignty. This move also subtly pressures the Democratic Party of Korea to take a stance, as participating in the joint resolution might challenge their identity, while opposing it could make them seem sympathetic to China.
Several lawmakers criticized China’s actions, likening them to past incidents in the South China Sea, and called for strong diplomatic actions and the structure’s removal. They emphasized the issue as a national security concern and urged a collective political response to safeguard South Korea’s territorial rights.