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South Korea to deploy marines near Japan-claimed islands, citing North’s aggression | |
(35 minutes later) | |
South Korea has risked provoking Japan and angering the United States by announcing plans to station a battalion of marines near a resource-rich territory also claimed by Tokyo, citing North Korean aggression as the reason behind the move. | South Korea has risked provoking Japan and angering the United States by announcing plans to station a battalion of marines near a resource-rich territory also claimed by Tokyo, citing North Korean aggression as the reason behind the move. |
Seoul’s military command has set a date for the beginning of troop deployment to Ulleungdo Island, in the Sea of Japan. The island is dangerously close to Liancourt Rocks, a group of islets whose control is disputed between South Korea and Japan. | Seoul’s military command has set a date for the beginning of troop deployment to Ulleungdo Island, in the Sea of Japan. The island is dangerously close to Liancourt Rocks, a group of islets whose control is disputed between South Korea and Japan. |
Construction of barracks and other facilities will begin next year, Yonhap News reports, citing South Korean military officials. A company or battalion-sized force of marines and Assault Amphibious Vehicles will be stationed on the island by 2018. | Construction of barracks and other facilities will begin next year, Yonhap News reports, citing South Korean military officials. A company or battalion-sized force of marines and Assault Amphibious Vehicles will be stationed on the island by 2018. |
It is the first time the Korean military has mentioned any definite timing for the deployment. | It is the first time the Korean military has mentioned any definite timing for the deployment. |
Although the South Korean military claims it is seeking to protect the island from Pyongyang, Japan’s Kyodo News reported the move could also be to deter military action by Tokyo. | Although the South Korean military claims it is seeking to protect the island from Pyongyang, Japan’s Kyodo News reported the move could also be to deter military action by Tokyo. |
It writes the plan “appears to also be aimed at better coping with South Korea’s territorial dispute with Japan.” | It writes the plan “appears to also be aimed at better coping with South Korea’s territorial dispute with Japan.” |
Located 120km (74.5 miles) east of South Korea, the Liancourt Rocks – known as Dokdo in Korean and Takeshima in Japanese – lie in rich fishing grounds which are believed to contain large deposits of natural gas. | Located 120km (74.5 miles) east of South Korea, the Liancourt Rocks – known as Dokdo in Korean and Takeshima in Japanese – lie in rich fishing grounds which are believed to contain large deposits of natural gas. |
The new base could rile the US, which is a strategic ally to both South Korea and Japan, and is thus obligated under mutual defense treaties to defend both countries from attack. | The new base could rile the US, which is a strategic ally to both South Korea and Japan, and is thus obligated under mutual defense treaties to defend both countries from attack. |
US President Barack Obama has so far remained neutral in Seoul and Tokyo’s disagreement over the gas-rich Liancourt Rocks. | US President Barack Obama has so far remained neutral in Seoul and Tokyo’s disagreement over the gas-rich Liancourt Rocks. |
The US, however, has already pledged support for Japan’s claim over the Senkaku (Diaoyu) islands, which are contested by China, and may be forced to pick a side in the disagreement over the Liancourt Rocks if the dispute descends into a stand-off. | The US, however, has already pledged support for Japan’s claim over the Senkaku (Diaoyu) islands, which are contested by China, and may be forced to pick a side in the disagreement over the Liancourt Rocks if the dispute descends into a stand-off. |
South Korea has made clear it considers the islets to be national territory and therefore subject to its military treaty with the US. | South Korea has made clear it considers the islets to be national territory and therefore subject to its military treaty with the US. |
“Our government’s stance is that Dokdo is a territory under South Korea’s administrative control as stipulated in the South Korea-US Mutual Defense Treaty,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Cho Tai-young told reporters in 2014. | “Our government’s stance is that Dokdo is a territory under South Korea’s administrative control as stipulated in the South Korea-US Mutual Defense Treaty,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Cho Tai-young told reporters in 2014. |
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