South Korea’s Foreign Ministry confirmed on the 21st that China has unilaterally installed a large maritime structure in the Yellow Sea’s “Provisional Measures Zone” (PMZ), an area in the Yellow Sea claimed by both China and South Korea. The structure resembles a large oil-drilling platform, 100 meters long and 80 meters wide. The Korean-language Chosun Ilbo newspaper cited South Korean government sources saying “China is violating maritime sovereignty” and warning that, if China refuses to dismantle the structure, South Korea will install corresponding facilities in the area. The Yellow Sea is the body of water that separates South Korea from Mainland China.
The structure was first photographed by a South Korean marine survey vessel on February 26. Located approximately 185 kilometers southeast of China’s Qingdao, the platform measures 100 meters long by 80 meters wide, supported by three iron bridges. Satellite images obtained by The Chosun Ilbo from a US satellite company reveal a helicopter landing pad marked with “H” and three iron bridges, with experts describing it as a “mini artificial island” built under the guise of fishing facilities.
China and South Korea disagree on the platform’s purpose. Beijing claims it supports China’s salmon farms “Deep Blue One” and “Deep Blue Two.” On March 26, the Chinese Embassy in South Korea stated the installation complies with Chinese domestic and international law, doesn’t violate the China-South Korea Fisheries Agreement, and incorporates strict environmental protection and safety measures.
South Korean officials remain skeptical. Based on photographs, some believe it’s a repurposed oil drilling platform. Former South Korean Deputy Defense Minister Shin Beom-chul told the South China Morning Post: “China claims these facilities are for aquaculture, but they’re too large and far from shore to be credible.” He added that China’s maritime expansion ambitions have extended from the South China Sea to the Yellow Sea.
In 2014, China placed an oil drilling platform in Vietnam’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), claiming control of the area and triggering South China Sea disputes.
Korean Maritime Minister Kang Tu-hang stated on the 21st: “We are taking this issue very seriously from the perspective of protecting our maritime territory,” adding that departments are considering appropriate proportional responses.
Source: Radio Free Asia, April 22, 2025
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/xinwenkuaixun/2025/04/22/china-south-korea-yellow-sea-dispute/