British website changes ‘Sea of Japan’ into 'East Sea' after Korean student’s request

'일본해'를 '동해'로 바로 잡은 한국 여고생

The name for the body of water between Korea and Japan has long been a point of contention between the two sides.
Unfortunately, Tokyo's self-claimed name is being used more widely today.
One persistent high school student in Busan has marked down a victory in trying to change that.
Kim Hyesung has the full story.
Sixteen-year-old Choi Hyun-jung is just like other high school students in Korea, but she has a special interest in Korean history and international relations.
That passion prompted her into action last month, after she saw a British website with a map that used the name Sea of Japan instead of East Sea.


"Marking Sea of Japan is destructing legacy of the Japanese imperialism. And I also mentioned that International organizations like UN and IHO already agreed on using both East Sea and Sea of Japan. Foreign websties like World Atlas and Amazon already are using both of them. So I request the head of the website to change the error on the map."

After multiple emails, the website's head editor sent her an apology and changed the map on March 23rd.
Lying between Korea and Japan and extending north toward Russia, the East Sea is more than just a body of water... and the name is one Koreans have used for over two thousand years.


"Using the name East Sea is very important for Korea's sovereignty. Sea of Japan is a term used by the Japanese after 1929, a legacy of Japanese colonial rule, but there's a limit to what the Korean government can do to fix it due to its sensitivity, so having civilians ask map publishers or websites to change it is a very positive move."


"A positive move that is also powerful. And it shows once again... that with persistence and passion, a person can always make an impact. Choi says the experience has given her the courage to study more about Korean history and she will continue to work as a civilian ambassador for her country.
Kim Hyesung, Arirang News, Busan."

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