The Analysis Of The Yellow Sea Maritime Disputes And Its Impact On Security Cooperation Between Neighboring Countries In Northeast Asia

With the rapid exhaustion of natural resources on land, the ocean has risen to becomea strategic wealth for the coastal states. Therefore, nearly all countries bordering the seaare launching their own ocean strategies in the name of The United Nations Conventionon the Law of the Sea, giving them yet another area of territorial competition. Consequ-ently, the ocean has become a new source of conflicts and even wars.In the recent years, the frequent and severer maritime disputes in Northeast Asia havebecome a new threat to the regional security, a new obstacle in regional cooperation anda new hot issue that disrupts world peace, which make the fragile regional security situ-ateion more complex and vulnerable. As a result, the future of Northeast Asia is facingmore serious challenges.As a developed but resource-poor country on the Korean Peninsula, South Korea (SK)has to expand its range of development, seeking out new opportunities and resources atthe sea. So it is not surprised that SK takes part in several maritime disputes. Therefore,it is not surprising that SK takes part in several maritime disputes. However, taking intoaccount of being located in such a strategic area, surrounded by great powers, room formaneuver is limited. Furthermore, Korean unification has yet to be achieved and SK isstill under the constant threats of North Korea. Disputes and tensions should never bethe dominant status among the NK and other neighboring countries.In the Yellow sea, there are5Islands and the Northern Limit Line between North andSouth Korea, the straight baselines, Bo Sea Bay, fishery disputes, Suyan Rock, delimita-tion of the continental shelf and oil deprivation between China and SK etc. Overall rela- tions between North and South Korea, between China and South Korea, and the interna-tional and regional strategic environment that SK maintains, in all of this, SK can andshould play a more positive role in promoting the alleviation of maritime disputes. If therelations between South Korea and its neighboring countries improve, the benefits willalso increase with it. On the contrary if the relations deteriorate, the damages will alsofollow as a result of it. Resolving ocean disputes with long-term “larger profits” in mindrather than present "small profits" and resolving them with constructive negotiationsunder the spirit of mutual respect, mutual understanding, and accommodation can SKmake its most realistic and sensible choice.