Who owns the Nihonkai Gas Formation discovered by Japan? … “Not the economic zone of South Korea” = Japan-Korea diplomatic authorities

The natural gas layer confirmed by Japanese oil and gas development company INPEX in the Sea of Japan (Korean name: Tokai) off the coast of Shimane and Yamaguchi Prefecture is not within Korea's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

According to diplomats, on the 19th, diplomatic authorities in Japan and South Korea shared relevant information and confirmed such facts.

The sea area between the Korean Peninsula and Japan is 23.5 to 450 nautical miles, and the distance from China is 80 to 350 nautical miles. As a result, if the boundary is set based on 200 nautical miles (370 km) based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which is an international law, the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) claimed by each country will overlap. Japan and South Korea have set an intermediate line and tried to solve this problem, but no agreement has been reached in the end.

On the 17th of this month, the oil and natural gas layer in the Sea of Japan, which was discovered by Japanese oil and natural gas development company INPEX, became a problem in the area where the EEZ claimed by Japan and South Korea overlaps. This is because it was pointed out that this might be the case. The location of the exploration excavation released by INPEX is about 130 km from Hamada City, Shimane Prefecture, and about 150 km from Hagi City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. The water depth is about 240m. However, this is a point 150 to 160 km away from Pohang, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea.

However, in 1974, Japan and South Korea signed the "Agreement on the Northern Boundary of the Continental Shelf Adjacent to Both Countries" between Japan and the Republic of Korea, and the part of the continental shelf belonging to South Korea and the part of the continental shelf belonging to Japan. The boundary line is set based on. This is also the only demarcation agreement signed between Japan, China and South Korea. It was reported that the excavation site (test drill) this time belongs to the boundary on the Japanese side, based on the agreement on the demarcation of the northern part of this continental shelf.

The Korean side also confirmed that the excavation site this time is not the "intermediate sea area" where Korea's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) overlaps. However, the Korean government has not ruled out the possibility because the excavation point is too close to the EEZ on the Korean side.

A diplomatic official said, "We are closely watching the related activities of this institution."