China has begun relocating a management facility in the temporary measures zone between Korea and China in the Yellow Sea as of 8 PM on the 27th. This action follows discussions between President Lee Jae-myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping during a recent summit. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jia-kun stated in a regular briefing that the movement of the management platform is being conducted by a Chinese company, emphasizing that the action was not influenced by diplomatic reasons or Korean demands, but is a business decision driven by the company’s independent management and development needs. He also remarked that China’s stance on fishing and aquaculture facility issues in the South China Sea and Yellow Sea remains unchanged.
Kang Young-shin, Director-General for Northeast Asian Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noted that this action signifies a positive change for Korea-China relations and evaluated it as meaningful progress. The Korean government plans to continue its stance against unilateral structure installations within the temporary measures zone and will keep striving for further advancements through constructive dialogue with China.
The relocation, as published by China’s Maritime Safety Administration, involves moving the ‘Atlantic Amsterdam Platform’ management facility from its current location to another, ensuring it is positioned outside the temporary measures zone. This development follows Korea’s persistent diplomatic discussions with China since the unauthorized installation of structures within the zone gained attention early last year. These structures, claimed by China as aquaculture facilities, include the Seonlan 1 and 2, along with a management structure that has raised concerns over potential military use.
While the movement of the management facility marks a step in resolving the contentious issue through diplomatic negotiations, the matters concerning the other two aquaculture facilities remain unresolved. The Korean government intends to persist in its approach based on its established stance to seek further developments.