East Sea or Sea of Japan!!??

 

Same as the English Channel, goes to England and the Irish sea goes to Ireland. It doesn't imply ownership.

 

In a few decades when the waters rise and Korea is an island. You get top call the sea that seperates you from China, the Korean Sea.

I believe the Koreans term the body of water East(ern) Sea in their own language.

 

The only issue is what to call it in the English language.

 

Do Koreans have the right to demand that Japan changes what they call it in their own language?

 

Or that English-speaking nations change what they choose to call it in their own language?

 

Or how it is translated to what different countries call it in their own respective languages?

 

In the Vietnamese language, the term Biển Đ�ng (literally Eastern Sea) refers to what is termed as South China Sea in English language maps.

 

The Danish term �sters�en, the Dutch term Oostzee, the German term Ostsee, the Norwegian term �stersj�en, and the Swedish term �stersj�n as well as Old English term Osts�, all literally mean Eastern Sea, but they all refer to the Baltic Sea.

 

Even the calqued Finnish-Swedish term It�meri, which translate to Eastern Sea, refers to the Baltic Sea, despite the fact that the body of water is west of Finland.

 

The same body of water is referred to as L��nemeri in Estonian, which means Western Sea, which is geographically accurate with reference to Estonia.

 

 

That may be true, but the situation is little more complex in the sea between Korea and Japan. France and England will not go into conflict (As if they need any more conflicts) just for English Channel. But the fishing industries in East Sea is becoming increasingly competitive, especially due to the popularity of sea-food like sushi. Government of Japan and South Korea are debating over the sovereign rights over the sea even more intensely, especially when the geologists have a small suspecion that East Sea may have some oil reserves. The border issue is becoming complicated as well, especially due to potential threat and kidnappings from North Korea. As a matter of fact, Japan addressed this issue to UN some time ago. I bet British and French didn't do that. I believe French adn British killed enough people to solve the English Channel issue long before WWI began.

 

 

Anyway, the name of the Sea is not really an important issue. It's just part of Korea's national inferiority complex which has developed after spending all those centuries being overshadowed by powerful neighbors. Korea never got revenge for the Japanese Pirate raids, The Imjin War, or the Japanese Colonization Period, and Korea will never fully get out from China's shadow, so this is sort of nationalism is a key part of Korea's culture.