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China installs 3 more buoys near overlapping waters with Korea

Published: 31 May. 2025, 11:42

This composite photo, provided by Rep. Eom Tae-young of the People Power Party on April 24, 2025, shows structures installed by China in the provisional maritime zone in the Yellow Sea. [YONHAP]

China has installed three more large-scale buoys near overlapping waters with Korea, officials said Saturday, bringing the total number of such Chinese floating devices in the waters to 13.

Korea's Navy detected the three buoys in international waters near the provisional maritime zone between the two countries in May 2023, according to the military. The devices are located inside China's exclusive economic zone.

China had already installed 10 3-meter (9.8-foot) wide and 6-meter tall observation buoys in the Yellow Sea since 2018.

One of the buoys is located inside the provisional maritime zone, where the two countries' exclusive economic zones overlap.

Tensions between Seoul and Beijing have grown over the maritime area that allows joint management of marine resources and prohibits activities beyond navigation and fishing as China has set up installations within the zone, including a fixed steel structure in 2022.

"[We] are closely monitoring activities within the provisional maritime zone, including China's unauthorized installation of structures, and will closely cooperation with relevant agencies to protect our maritime sovereignty," a Defense Ministry official said.

Yonhap