Cheong Wa Dae on Wednesday welcomed China's decision to remove one of three disputed steel structures from the overlapping waters in the Yellow Sea, calling it "meaningful progress." China's foreign ministry announced on Tuesday that work was underway to relocate one of the structures in the zone where the two countries' exclusive economic zones overlap. The South Korean government pledged to continue defending its maritime rights and fostering a peaceful region.
Cheong Wa Dae welcomed China's decision on January 28, 2026, to remove one of three disputed steel structures from the overlapping waters in the Yellow Sea, viewing it as a positive step. The area is the Provisional Maritime Zone (PMZ), where South Korea and China's exclusive economic zones (EEZs) overlap; China installed two semisubmersible buoys in 2018 and 2024, and a fixed steel platform in 2022, heightening bilateral tensions. Seoul has seen these installations as potential groundwork for future territorial claims by Beijing.
"Given that the management platform has long been a focus of concern, we welcome the latest move as meaningful progress," the presidential office stated. It added that the government would persist in defending South Korea's maritime rights and interests in the Yellow Sea while ensuring a "peaceful and co-prosperous" region.
China's foreign ministry announced on Tuesday, January 27, that relocation work was in progress for one of the three structures. The issue has long strained relations, with South Korea expressing concerns over territorial implications. While this removal signals possible de-escalation in the PMZ, the fate of the remaining two structures remains unclear.
Reports indicate this development ties into ongoing maritime boundary negotiations between the two nations. Cheong Wa Dae's statement reflects a desire to ease diplomatic frictions, though concrete follow-up actions will be essential.
